


One Last Ride

by BrigidTheFae, lemonlush



Series: One Last Ride [2]
Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Heavy Angst, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-24
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:27:30
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 118,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23289259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrigidTheFae/pseuds/BrigidTheFae, https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonlush/pseuds/lemonlush
Summary: **WINNER: BEST ANGST Feudal Connection 2020 2nd Q.** Kagome comes home to Montana from her new life in California…only to be greeted with hostility and the demons of her past. Some mistakes can never be forgiven. She just hopes that maybe this one can. Inspired by BrigidTheFae/Clearwillow's art - New Moon Ride. Inu/Kag. Rated E for the reasons you think. Art by BrigidTheFae/Clearwillow inside!
Relationships: Higurashi Kagome/InuYasha
Series: One Last Ride [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1932142
Comments: 475
Kudos: 272
Collections: One Last Ride





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BrigidTheFae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BrigidTheFae/gifts).



Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 1

" _Godfuckingdamnit!_ Don't you do this to me you fucking piece of shit rental…We're so close! FUCK!"

This was not her day. Her flight had been delayed three hours, and when she finally landed in Montana, the rental car company only had the shitty, might-die-on-you-if-you-gave-it-the-wrong-look-esq cars left.

And.

Naturally.

The sedan she picked out was a lemon.

"Why here…" she whined, looking out at the land the fucking "rust bucket" (yeah whatever - it didn't have rust on it but it was still a piece of shit) had broken down in front of.

Takahashi Ranch.

This place brought back some bittersweet memories. It didn't look like it had changed much. Then again, she couldn't see the house from here anyways. She'd have to go at least another two miles first.

Still.

She knew this place like it was the back of her hand.

There had been a time even when she had almost thought— _No_!

Now wasn't the time to get sentimental and mopey.

Now was the time to try and figure out what the _hell_ she was going to do. Takahashi Ranch was about ten miles away from her family's, but they were their closest neighbor.

She could walk it…but that was stupid.

Then again, so was looking for the main house here to ask for help. She had been hoping to avoid them, same as she always did when she came back home.

Well, maybe not _them_ so much as _him_.

She sighed and got out of the car, kicking the wheel in the process out of sheer frustration at the smoke rising up from under the hood of her stupid lemon car. Nervously, she lifted the hood up and swore.

Oh yeah. The engine had overheated.

_Fuck!_

She did _not_ have the time to be dealing with this…and with shitty cell phone reception, it's not like she could easily call her mom and tell her what had happened. Kagome bit her lip and looked up at the sky, trying to weigh her options.

1 - She could walk the ten miles to her house. It would take her about three hours and a hefty amount of change…but it would also spare her from her other option. Which waaaaas…

2 - She walk the two miles to the main house on Takahashi Ranch.

She honestly didn't know which one was worse. And if she hadn't been spending so much time debating them, she might have actually noticed that she wasn't exactly _alone_ anymore.

"It _is_ you…"

Kagome placed a hand over her heart, trying to calm its racing as she jumped and yelped in surprise before she turned to address her surprise…intruder? Guest? Acquaintance? Would have been lover? Almost husband?

It's hard to come up with a word to describe your childhood sweetheart and the love of your life…yet here she was, trying to do just that.

God he hadn't changed.

Inuyasha was still as handsome as ever.

Maybe that wasn't fair. He used to have a boyish charm to him. Now…now he was anything but "boyish". His jaw had sharpened over the years, much like the rest of his body - hardening with the hard work that came with being a cattle rancher. He hadn't shaved in a bit, and the lower half of his face was peppered with a fine stubble. It used to grow in patchy…that's just another thing that had changed with time…just like his eyes.

They used to be such a beautiful, warm golden color. Like honey. He could melt her with a look…had almost seduced her more than once with just his eyes and the purr of his voice. She could almost feel the slide of his fingers dipping below her pants to tease her…

Now, his eyes were cold. Hard. Just like his tone.

She took it that he was just as thrilled to see her as she was him.

The white horse he sat atop let out a snort, and his gaze softened a little, comforting the mare and rubbing her neck.

"There, there, Bessie," he soothed.

"Bessie? What happened to Suzzie?"

He shot her a dark look as if to say she should know better than to ask.

"It's been seven years, Kagome…"

Yes. It had been.

She _should_ have known better. She loved that mare…He used to take her riding across the ranch on her. He would hold her so tight…keep her pressed firmly to his chest while Suzzie kept on, wind blowing through their hair. They'd stop once they got to the cliff and hop off, rolling around in the grass as he pinned her down and kissed her deeply.

Passionately.

But…that was before.

"I heard you mighta been comin' back…didn't think ya actually would."

"Not welcome?" she asked raising her brow, crossing her arms over her breasts. He looked away from her, pained.

"Are you looking to be welcome, still?"

"This is still my home, Yash…"

"Don't call me that," he whispered, turning to look at her again. "We…we don't use those names anymore, got it?"

"Yeah. Sure…" she agreed.

Fuck why did this hurt _so_ much? It was all in the past. It _should_ be all in the past.

"How did you know I was here?" she asked, and he shot her a withering look, tapping his nose with a claw tipped finger.

"Pops and Sessh and me were out fixing the fence. I caught your scent in the wind. I thought I might have been crazy, but they said they smelled it too. Didn't think you'd stop here intentionally…"

He was certainly right about that.

"So you came to play the big ol' knight in shining armor?"

He arched a brow, smiling wryly as he gestured towards his dusty, muddy clothing.

"Only thing shining about me right now is my belt buckle, and even that's pushing it."

She couldn't help but laugh, and his face relaxed a little before his eyes saddened and hardened again.

"So…what's the problem?" he asked, nodding his head towards her broken down shit bucket.

"Engine overheated," she shrugged. "All the good rentals were gone already," she continued before he could ask and his tongue kissed his teeth in understanding.

"Mind if I look?"

"Knock yourself out," she encouraged, and he gracefully swung a leg around Bessie, stepping off of her like it was second nature to him. He paused to give Bessies jaw a gentle rub and smile before hopping over the fence and approaching the car. She suddenly found herself swallowing hard.

Why did it have to be so difficult? Why couldn't…why could it have never happened? Then maybe…

She shook her head and sighed, watching him silently appraise the ruins before them. He wore a white tank top, exposing his arms and his long silver hair had been pulled up and away from his neck into a bun to help keep him cool from the early summer heat and hard work repairing the fence.

She couldn't help but admire him as he looked over her car, before tipping his worn ten-gallon hat and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Why did he still have to be so attractive? Why couldn't he have gone bald or gotten fat or developed some sort of skin condition?

She internally sighed and shook her head.

As a half demon, she didn't think any of those things were possible. At least not with Takahashi blood running through his veins.

"It's over heated alright. Only thing you can do is wait for it to cool and pour some water on it and pray it starts up again."

"Fuck," she moaned, rubbing her eyes with the heels of her palms, and when she looked back up, she saw him smirking at her. "What?"

"Nothin'," he shrugged, leaning his hip against the side of the car. "What do ya wanna do about it, Kagome?" he asked, raising a brow.

"What do you mean 'what do I want to do about it'? I have to do just what you said."

"Yeah," he agreed. "But I mean am I taking you to your Mom's, or are you gonna come back with me?"

Oh God…

Neither was a good option. But she loved his mother almost as much as she loved her own…

"Guess I'm going back with you."

* * *

A/N: If you read this story….bring tissues. And wine. I've been told I cut your heart out and make you watch. Saucy is NOT joining me on this one, so I apologize in advance. I have no emotional gage for this…I'm sorry.

This story was inspired by Clearwillow / BrigidTheFae's "New Moon Ride" ([view it here](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/79000997)), written with permission and for the March 14, 2020 White Day celebration…and slowly uploaded much sooner to tumblr…Thank you for being my muse. Even though I'm constantly screaming, it's out of the deepest love and respect and awe for your talent. You're a Goddess - NEVER FORGET IT!

**AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME ADD YOUR ART TO THIS. AM CRY.**

**Additional** **art by Clearwillow!**

**Titled:[Rancher fluff](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/80154516)**

****

**Titled:[Ranch Hands Needed](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/79719299)**

****

**Title: Inuyasha and Kagome Shenanigans**

****

“What’s the matter? Y'all don’t eat meat in California?”

“Why aren’t you dressed?!”

“Mama always said to drop everything when you got company over.”

“Could ya put on some pants, Inuyasha?!”

“Fine, but you’re gonna have to help me hold my meat, Kagome.”

**Title: Rancher Touga**

****

**Title: Rancher Sesshomaru**

****

**Title:[Wet Dog](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/79679608)**

****


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 2

Sitting on Bessie, pulled flush against his chest brought back memories. It was so comforting and familiar and she felt herself melt back into him like nothing had ever happened.

God...When was the last time they had done this? Seven years ago? When they were eighteen? The night he…they had...they...

She sighed, not wanting to think about it, which of course only drew his attention to her.

"So...How's life out in _California_?"

Did he have to say California like she had just spat on his mother's grave? Then again, maybe to him this was just as bad. She had left after highschool ended to go to UCLA for their writing program. How she had managed to swing a full ride, she would never know. But she had...and...well...It had been the beginning of the end for them.

"It's...it's good. Thanks."

"Really? Just good? Huh..."

"'Huh?' What's that's supposed to mean?"

"Nothin'," he shrugged, and Kagome turned around to look at him as Bessie continued on towards the main house.

"That didn't sound like 'nothing' to me, Inuyasha…" she squinted, noticing how miserable he was at feigning nonchalance.

"Just thought that it woulda been more than 'good' given all you left behind. Was hoping it mighta been a dream come true," he replied casually. Going straight for the jugular huh?

She wanted to be angry with him. Wanted to fight him. Wanted to feel something... _anything_ other than just... _tired_.

How many times had they had this conversation as kids? Or rather, this argument…

"Dreams take...they take _time_ , Inuyasha."

"Somethin' I'd know if I had any?" He asked roughly and she winced, turning back around.

"I didn't say that…"

"Didn't hafta."

 _Now_ she was feeling something. She wanted to pull out his hair and scream. _This_ was why she avoided him whenever she came in to visit. Because the way they had left things? That last conversation had been bad. Soul crushing. It had taken her years to move on from it and she had made a few too many mistakes trying to outrun the pain of losing him.

Or rather…

...Of giving him up.

They might have imploded together, but she was the one who lit the match that ultimately ended them.

"You have dreams too, Inuyasha," she ground out, her body tensing against his to keep from yelling.

"Not nearly as big or as important as the great Kagome Higurashi's, though."

She wouldn't scream. She wouldn't scream. She would. Not. Fucking. _Scream_.

"I don't want to do this again, Inuyasha."

"Fine. Then let's not. Just do me a favor - next time someone asks you how your fancy new life is goin'? Lie. Say you love it and it was worth everything you sacrificed for it."

He meant every _one_ , and they both knew it.

"You know I can't lie to you like that…"

"Ya can't? Or ya won't?"

"Pick one," she snapped. "Can we change the topic, please?"

"Sure. How's your pet cat?"

"Buyo? He's fi—"

"—I meant your boyfriend. Heard you were dating a cat demon now. Decided you weren't that much of a dog person after all?"

"That's none of your business," she ground out. How the _hell_ had he found out about Zach? Not that it mattered since they broke up a few weeks ago...Still. He didn't need to hear about that. "You shouldn't believe everything you hear, anyways. It might not be true."

"So I should stop listening to your mother? I'll be sure to tell her you think she's a liar."

She could _hear_ the smirk in his voice as she sputtered.

"And since when did you start having such long, heartfelt conversations with Mama?"

And more importantly...why hadn't she been told about it? She genuinely doubted that her mother was trying to set her back up with Inuyasha. She had seen the carnal wreckage left behind. She had tried to help piece her back together. It had been hard on all of them...especially her younger brother, Sota. He had always looked up to Inuyasha like an older brother. He was Sota's hero. His idol. He couldn't wait for them to get married so he'd be his brother through and through...but…

She mentally shook her head as he began speaking again. "I've been helping out around the ranch a lot. She didn't tell you?"

"Nope."

"Huh."

"Huh?"

"Huh," he repeated.

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Nothin'. Just that for a smart lady, you sure can be all kindsa stupid sometimes."

" _Excuse me?"_

"You can excuse yourself. Kagome, when was the last time you talked to your mother?"

"I talk to her all the time!"

"I mean _really_ talked to her, Kagome..."

"I...All the time!"

His tongue kissed his teeth - an annoying sound that grated on her nerves when she _knew_ he was playing holier-than-thou-Mr-Know-It-All.

"If you say so…"

"Why - what do _you_ know?"

"Nothin'. 'Sides...I thought you weren't supposed to believe everything you heard."

Cocky ass _bastard_. He was enjoying playing with her. And not the fun kind of " _playing"_ they used to do. The kind where his hand would "accidently" slip under her bra while they ground their hips together as they made out. This was intentionally malicious. He was doing it to...to _toy_ with her just because he thought he could.

And he fucking _could_.

What the _hell_ did he know that she clearly didn't?

"You shouldn't," she agreed, her tone a bit harsher than she intended and she winced. "You haven't told me how you're doing, by the way."

"You didn't ask."

"Well, I am now."

"I'm great - everything is going wonderfully. Thanks for asking. See? How hard would it have been to have said _that_ , Kagome?"

"It...it's not then?"

"Does it matter?" he sighed, and she slumped in response to his tone. He was still miserable, wasn't he? God...they had really done a number on each other, huh?

"It does matter, Inuyasha. I do care. We...we were best friends once. Before everything else happened...Can't we find a way back to that?"

"That's the problem, ain't it Kagome? I never _just_ wanted to be your friend. I always wanted more. You didn't."

"We were children, Yash!"

"Don't call me that!" he snarled, and she immediately apologized. She could feel his chest vibrating against her back from his low growl and she helplessly stared at her fingers as they worried themselves in her lap.

"Maybe we should...maybe we shouldn't talk," she finally whispered, and he snorted in agreement.

"Best idea you've had inna while."

* * *

A/N:

THANK YOU FOR THE NOMINATIONS FOR THIS PIECE. I AM DYING INSIDE BY HOW MUCH YOU GUYS LOVE THIS STORY!!!

Gonna try and get parts 3-10 up within the next few days. Might hoard part 11 for a while. If you've read this before, I HIGHLY recommend rereading because I will be tweaking! Also...you don't want to miss Clearwillow's art, because I will be adding that as I go!! SO HIGHLY RECOMMEND A REREAD!


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter Three

His parent's house was just as she remembered it. It was a quaint, two story farmhouse with white siding and a wraparound porch. His grandfather and built it years ago, and it had been passed down to their only child when he passed - Inuyasha's father, Touga. Kagome hadn't been well acquainted with his grandfather at the time - she had only been eight when he passed - but she had remembered seeing Inuyasha when he came to visit him before they had moved in.

He was the cute little half demon boy that would play in the creek running from behind his house to behind their house because he had wandered too far from his grandparent's land. Eventually, when they moved in, he became the cute little half demon boy who would climb their tree and throw rocks at her window to get her to come outside and play. The cute little half demon boy who fell out of that same tree once and landed on his arm the wrong way and broke it.

She remembered that day well. He picked out a red cast and was so downtrodden...she made her dad drive her over and brought him the last of the ice cream from their freezer. They sat on his porch, splitting it from the same, waxy paper box while their parents sat inside, drinking decaf coffee and talking. She could remember how the setting sun washed over them, making his gold eyes shimmer as she had the honor of being the first person to write on his cast.

And then…

Then she had given him his first kiss. It was only on the cheek...but the look on his face…

That had sealed their fate together.

"It hasn't changed," she commented as they got closer to the house.

"Don't tell Ma that," he snorted. "She had us out here a few weeks back repaintin' the whole damn thing."

"Is that why it looks so clean?" she joked, but he didn't reply. "Well...you did a lovely job."

"Thanks," he whispered, and she felt him pull her closer as if forgetting himself for a moment as he guided Bessie over to the porch. They came to a stop, and she waited for him to move, but he didn't.

"Inuyasha?" she breathed, silently asking him what was going on.

"I...I know it'll be hard," he began, swallowing, "but let's try 'n be civil when we go in. Please? For Ma?"

"Of course," she whispered, turning around to look at him. He looked so...sad and shattered, like that little boy who fell out of the tree and broke his arm. Her heart ached to comfort him and kiss away his tears...but she couldn't.

That wasn't them anymore.

"You…" he began, his eyes landing on her lips before he shook his head.

"What?" she pressed.

"You still smell good," he admitted, and she felt herself soften. She knew how big that had always been for him. Dog demons had such sensitive noses...and even though he was half human, he hadn't been an exception to the rule. "It...it would be so much easier if I didn't…" he sighed, dropping his head for a moment. Finally, having composed himself, he let go of her, swinging his leg around to dismount before reluctantly offering her a hand.

She took it and ignored the way her body still sung at his touch, accepting his help to step down from the mare.

"Why don't you go on in?" he encouraged once she had her feet on solid ground. "Ma will kill me if I don't wash up a bit first."

"Ok," she nodded, smiling. It was nice to know that she hadn't changed either. "Do you want some help," she asked before her brain could stop her, almost as if on reflex. It was like she had slipped back in time to seven years ago. She hadn't even thought about what she had said until the words were out of her mouth.

"I...No," he replied awkwardly, his chest letting out a hurt sigh. His pain was tangible...she...she hadn't meant it. She hadn't wanted to rub salt in the wound. "I can hose off just fine on my own now."

"Of course," she nodded, turning on her heel and heading inside. She carefully opened the storm door, the old hinges squeaked noisily as she entered - the plastic clattering shut behind her.

She hadn't realized how much she missed that sound. Or how hard her heart would clench when she heard it.

It was the sound of her childhood.

The sound of them running in from the yard for a popsicle after playing during long, lazy summer days. It was the sound of Inuyasha chasing her to the family room before they started working on their homework together. It was the sound of his parents returning when they were upstairs in Inuyasha's bed with their hands and lips all over each other's bodies.

Good lord. How they had never actually had sex, she still had no idea...Only, that wasn't true.

It was...it was too scary at the time.

Too big a step.

They were young and adventurous...and...while he had made it clear that if she wanted to go further, he _absolutely_ would...she hadn't quite been that adventurous. She had been shy and nervous and…

She sighed.

She would have much rather slept with Inuyasha than waste her first time on that blind date who never called her back.

Hindsight was 20/20.

She looked around the kitchen and got out two glasses to fill with cold water from the pitcher in the fridge, knowing that Inuyasha could use a drink whenever he came back in. It was hot out there, and he had been working hard and—

"Boys? Are you back already? That was faster than…" Izayoi gasped, clearly not expecting to see the raven haired woman now standing in the middle of her kitchen with two glasses of water. "Kagome?"

"Hi Mrs. Takahashi," she greeted weakly. She was sure she was giving the poor woman heart failure right about now. It wasn't like...things weren't what they used to be. Seeing her wasn't as normal or as common an occurrence as it once was.

She watched as Izayoi blinked hard and long as if she had to have been imagining the woman in front of her.

"Kagome," she whispered still in shock. "What are you doing here?"

The sound of the storm door creaking open and slamming shut again drew their attention to Inuyasha as he walked in, rubbing his face with the hem of his shirt. Water beaded up on his skin, making it shimmer in the kitchen light.

Kagome tried to not let the view affect her.

She really did...but he had _really_ matured since she last saw him and...well...she was only human ok? A human with eyes. A woman with red blood, and it was all working against her right now.

The fucker. The way he smirked at her told her that he was doing it intentionally, too. Like he wanted to remind her of what she had given up...and how much _better_ it was now. It was like he was saying, _'and to think...all this could have been yours'._

He let the hem of his shirt fall as he greeted his mother with a hug, barefoot from ditching his shoes outside the door so he wouldn't track mud in. She always yelled at the "boys" for tracking mud in.

"Her rental car broke down just outside the ranch," he explained, raising an eyebrow at the glass of water she offered him. She wanted to roll her eyes and tell him that it wasn't poisoned...but they had agreed to be civil for the sake of the woman in front of them. "The engine overheated. We have to wait until it cools down before we can do something about it."

"So you came here?" She asked tightly.

Oh.

Good.

She was _thrilled_ to see her too.

Had she pissed off _everyone_ in his family?

"Yes Ma," he sighed, downing the glass of water. "It's closer than her family's ranch, and the car broke down here. It made sense."

"I see…" Izayoi replied, glancing between them.

"It's ok, Ma," he gently reassured her. "Imma big kid now. I can make adult decisions," he tried to joke lightly, but it didn't ease his mother too much.

"Well Mr. Big Kid - Kikyo called while you were out," Izayoi informed him, leaning against the door frame leading from the living room into the kitchen.

Kagome watched his puppy dog ears perk up and felt her heart sour.

Kikyo? Really?

Were they...were they _dating_ now?

She tried to mentally shake herself, but it was hard. Kikyo had always been interested in Inuyasha. She shouldn't have been surprised...Yet…

Was he really replacing her with _Kikyo?_

Whatever. He wasn't hers anymore. He could do whatever the _fuck_ he wanted. It didn't matter. But...why the hell hadn't he brought it up when he was asking about her "pet cat". That was just…

Rude? Deceptive?

It wasn't fair that he seemed to know a hell of a lot more about her than she did him.

"Oh yeah? What did she want?" He asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. His smirk grew at the mention of Kikyo as he went to refill his glass of water.

"She said something about going to the Rusty Bucket after you go to the high school to help set up for graduation tomorrow. I thought I'd let you call her back and get all of the details."

"Yeah. It sounds fun. I'll call later after we get her situated," he grinned tilting his head towards Kagome.

He was loving this, wasn't he? This was everything he could ask for...being able to show off his new life. Show her how _fine_ he was without her. Show her how much he didn't _need_ her. She was sure it was all kinds of _fucking_ _satisfying_ for him.

"Rusty Bucket, huh? I haven't thought of that place in a long time."

It was their local bar. Well...local being the operative word. It was the bar in the closest town...the truest definition of a dive bar. Dark lighting, pool tables, a mechanical bull...top it off with sticky furniture and greasy food? Perfection.

"We weren't exactly old enough ta get in when you were here last," he grinned.

"I've been a few times."

His smile faltered at that.

"Huh. Shame I didn't run into ya."

Running into him wasn't exactly her goal when she went. Running into him was never her goal.

"Have you called your mother yet, Kagome?" Izayoi asked, running interference between them. "I'm sure she must be worried sick about you."

"No...not yet. I was going to do that after I got him some water," she confessed, causing Izayoi to raise a suspicious eyebrow in her direction.

"Well. No time like the present. You're welcome to stay for dinner...sounds like it will be a while until the car cools off. Touga and Sesshomaru have the truck right now and the sedan needs to be looked at."

"I...dinner would be lovely. Thank you," she replied awkwardly, and Izayoi nodded her head.

"I'm going to finish up folding the laundry and then I could use your help making it. Baby, are you gonna go back out there and help your father and brother? Or are you done for the day?"

"I think they'll be fine without me," he smiled smally. "I wanted to take a shower if that's alright. I smell like an ogre's armpit."

She wanted to ask how that was different from normal...but…

She mentally sighed and held her tongue instead.

"Go on Sweetheart," she encouraged, and he finished his glass of water before disappearing, squeezing his mother's shoulder as he passed.

The second he was gone, Izayoi nailed Kagome with a hard look, making her shift uncomfortably in her shoes.

"Seven years," she whispered, looking her up and down. "You've changed quite a bit in seven years. Turned into a very attractive woman."

"Thank you, Mrs. Takahashi."

"Mmm...seven years can do a lot to a person, can't it? It can make them grow up. Mature. Move on."

Kagome suddenly got the feeling she wasn't going to like where Izayoi was going with this.

"You know, it's taken my baby a long time to learn how to smile again after you had your way with him. He's finally laughing. Looking forward to each new day. The darkness you left in his eyes and his heart has finally disappeared...and he's turned into a fine young man.

A respectable young man.

A young man with a new twinkle in his eye and a respectable, good woman on his arm.

Kagome Higurashi...I swear to God and to all things Holy...if you hurt my baby, or try to get between him and Kikyo...you could move to New York and I'd still hunt you down and pull your teeth out your ass. We clear?"

"Y-yes Ma'am," she stuttered, the vehemence in her words and the ice in her stare freezing her blood.

"Good. You know I always thought of you as the daughter I never had...but after what you did to my boy?" She paused to tsk her and shake her head. "You come for your lil' visit and then you get outta here. You understand me?"

"Yes Ma'am," she whispered, trying to ignore the feeling of her heart shattering into a thousand pieces.

What was she expecting though? A warm hug and a kiss on the cheek?

All of this was a giant mistake. She should have just...just asked him to take her home. It would have been easier than facing her past. Then again…maybe she should be.

Maybe it was time to face her demons, once and for all.

Pun only _slightly_ intended.

* * *

A/N: Again…If you've read this before, please read it again. I changed a few things about Kagome's past.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Part Four

Kagome picked up another smooth, small, flat rock and tossed it, skipping it down the creek behind the Takahashi's house. It only made two jumps this time. She hadn't realized she was as rusty as she clearly was.

Dinner had been a... _strained_ affair. Inuyasha's father, Touga, had been a bit more receptive to her presence. Probably since both he and his eldest son, Sesshomaru, had known that she was around. Seeing her mashing a bowl of potatoes in their kitchen probably didn't give them as big a shock as his mother seeing her hold two glasses of water.

Frankly, Sesshomaru had been practically giddy when they came in. Probably because he was excited to see how her presence would torment his brother.

The mashing was actually a perfect activity for her. It gave her a chance to take out some of her aggression about fucking _Kikyo_. And everything else. But _especially_ Kikyo.

She was a good woman, huh?

Bull. Fucking. _Shit_.

What the _hell_ made her a good woman? One good enough for Inuyasha? Was it because she was the history teacher at the high school? Was it because she went to church every Sunday and led the children's service? Was it because she had been trying to suck his dick since they hit puberty?

She smashed the masher down so hard that she almost broke the glass bowl at the thought, causing everyone to shoot her an odd look. She smiled weakly and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear, apologizing as they made jokes about she-hulk.

Her mind wouldn't shut up though…and Kagome quickly found herself thinking about Kikyo again. She was finally getting her chance, huh? Kikyo was finally getting her grubby little paws all over _her_ Inuyasha.

Only...he _wasn't_ hers...and she hadn't had a claim over him in years.

She had needed a moment to compose herself after that, and excused herself to use the bathroom. She stood over the sink, her arms braced on either side of the white porcelain as she just...opened her heart.

He had every right to move on.

He had every right to find happiness with someone else.

She just didn't think that it would hurt this much...but...he had been a huge part of her life for ten years. Since they were kids. She had been so stupid to think it wouldn't be this bad.

She felt tears gathering at her lashes, spilling over and down her cheeks as she heard his father tell Inuyasha to let her be. Great. Let's add that to the mix. They knew she was crying. Stupid dog demons and their sense of smell. She couldn't have one moment to gather herself together in privacy?

She quickly splashed some water onto her face and cheeks, trying to get rid of the most recent thing to completely humiliate her. She opened the door and ran smack into Inuyasha's chest. She jumped, not expecting to see him there waiting for her.

"Inuyasha?" she questioned, unable to look him in the eye, and she gasped when she felt his hand on her cheek. His thumb gently glided over her, feeling the cool residue of the water against her skin. The heat from his hand was soothing...and soul crushing all at the same time.

"You've been crying," he whispered, not bothering to beat around the bush.

"I'm fine," she dismissed, forcing herself to not turn her head into his palm and nuzzle his hand. His skin was so calloused now...but it felt so good. A working man's hands. Nothing like her ex "pet cat" Zach's hands.

"Hm…" he replied, searching her face before coming to a decision. "Kagome...Pops and Sessh are back. I can easily take you to your mom's and come by later with the car. If this is…" he sighed, lowering his hand from her cheek and running it through the fringe of his bangs. "If bein' here is too much or too hard, you don't hafta. It's pretty clear you've been avoiding... _this_ the last seven years. You don't hafta stop now just 'cause fate made your car break down in front of our land."

"I think Ford made my car break down, not fate," she shrugged, and a smile tugged at his lips.

"You slandering a good American made car, Higurashi?"

"Or an anti-Semite. Take your pick."

"You and your causes," he tsked. "They still make the best damn truck I've ever been in. Doesn't mean I gotta like the man."

"As I recall you don't like a lot of people."

His eyes filled with sorrow and he stuck his hands into his pockets, shrugging.

"Probably 'cause a lotta people don't like me."

"I did," she whispered softly, and he looked away from her.

"You always were the exception to the rule, Kagome. All of 'em."

"Inuyasha—"

"—Well? What do ya wanna do? Dinner or home, Kagome. No one is gonna twist your arm either way."

"I...I'll stay. I want to stay. If you're ok with it."

"'Course I am."

Now, she was skipping rocks in the stream waiting for Inuyasha to get a gallon of water together so they could go and check on the rental.

"Beena while since anyone skipped rocks out here," Inuyasha called, coming to stand beside her, jug of water in hand.

"No? You don't do this anymore?"

"Not since...not since you left," he replied hesitantly, dropping the water by their feet and picking up a rock, absently palming it as he looked out over the water. "I wonder if I even can still," he mused before wiping his arm back and flicking the rock forward. It bounced once before it sank and he let out a disappointed sound. "Guess not."

"Might have been a bad stone too, you know," she shrugged. "Why don't you try again?"

He gave her a wry smile but picked up another one, repeating the same movements as before and the rock sank.

"Ooff...Takahashi...how was that even worse than before?"

"Another bad fucking rock," he chuckled, but leaned down and grabbed a small handful, giving her one. "You think you can do better?"

"I know I can," she smirked, flicking her rock and getting two bounces out of it. She turned to face him, throwing her arms up into the air and doing a little victory dance.

"Oh yeah? That's how you wanna play this?"

"You better believe it," she crowed, and she watched as he wound his arm back like a pitcher before letting it loose. It bounced three times before sinking, and he shot her a smirk.

"Guess I'm just rusty," he shrugged, and she rolled her eyes.

"Don't get too cocky - you only did that the one time so far."

"Yeah? I bet I can do it again."

"Oh you do, do you?"

"Sure do," he smirked, tossing another rock, and it bounced three times again. "Man...this takes ya back, don't it?" he grinned. "Remember how we used to do this as kids?"

"We have a lot of good memories at this crick. Like the time you thought you could run away from home by walking through this thing to my house? All ten damn miles? Your dad tracked you down...what...twenty minutes after you showed up soaking wet?"

"I didn't want to do my chores," he shrugged.

"As good a reason as any," she conceded and he laughed, watching as she tossed another stone up the creek.

"What about the summer we were obsessed with pirates? And the one we learned about the gold rush?"

"Oh god, we were soaked all summer! Your mom was good humored about it all at least. Didn't mind us borrowing all of her pots and pans to go panning for gold."

"Is that what you remember?" he snorted. "'Cause I remember having my butt whooped and being made to wash alla them."

"No! She did?" she laughed. "Well...I guess I can't blame her. They would have been filthy."

"Filthy would be putting it lightly," he chuckled, tossing another rock. It bounced four times this time, and she applauded him.

"Alright Takahashi. Not bad."

"You bet your ass! That was pretty damn good! There's no way you can beat that."

"You think so?" she smiled, grabbing a few more and tossing one. Two bounces.

"See?"

"Yeah...well...that's because we're not betting on anything right now."

"So it takes a bag for warheads to make you really competitive?" he asked, raising a brow.

"Oh my... _Yes!_ I forgot that's what we used to use! That's what those little sour candies were called! And then we'd separate them into colors, and the winner got first pick...which _really_ meant all of the black ones?"

"You do remember!" he grinned, tossing a rock into the air once before swinging his arm and bouncing it three times.

"Of course I remember. God...what were the rules? Who ever got the most bounces out of twenty was the winner?"

"Sounds right," he nodded as she tossed one in. "Then we stopped playing for candy," he continued solemnly. "We started playing for kisses instead. Then we just...stopped playing."

"Inuyasha—"

"—Hey. Crazy thought. Let's play one more time. Best outta three. Winner...winner gets to ask a question and the loser has to answer it honestly."

"Sounds dangerous…"

"Less dangerous than when we used to play for kisses?"

"Depends on your definition of dangerous," she replied casually, palming the rock as she mulled his proposition over. She was nervous about what he might ask her. There was a cornucopia of sticky, awkward questions he could choose from...but she really wanted a few answers herself. "Fine," she finally decided. "You've got yourself a deal. But...No saving your question. You have to ask it now, deal?"

"Fair enough," he grinned, tossing the first rock, and she cringed when it bounced five times.

"I thought you were rusty?"

"Guess it's like riding a bike," he smirked. "Go on. It's your turn now, Kagome," he prodded and she silently swore.

Two bounces, and two more throws later, and she was the clear loser. She watched him do a small little victory lap around her, jumping up and down before coming to stand back by the gallon of water that sat forgotten by their feet.

"Alright, alright…" she chuckled. "Stop gloating and ask me your question," she prodded, crossing her arms over her chest.

She almost regretted saying it. All of the light drained from his eyes as soon as he was reminded of the question in his mind. He opened his mouth to ask, then snapped it shut, almost as if second guessing himself.

"What's your favorite color?" he finally asked, and she gaped at him, shocked.

"I...you know what my favorite color is, Inuyasha," she replied, her head tilting slightly to the side as her brows knit together.

"It's beena while. It coulda changed."

"It hasn't…It's still green..."

"Well then. Guess I know now. We should get over to that rental," he prodded, bending down to pick up the jug of water and lead her towards the truck in silence.

They both knew that wasn't what he had really wanted to ask...she just...she just wasn't sure if she wanted to pry. She closed the door as he started the ignition and buckled in, the jug of water in the flat bed behind them. Some new country song she couldn't identify immediately started blaring on the radio, and he stuck his arm out the window, tapping the side of the truck to the beat of the music.

Clearly, it wasn't new to him.

"Do you still like country?" she heard him ask after a minute. "Didn't even think to ask if this was fine. I know it's not as popular out in _California_."

"Would you stop saying California like that?"

"Like what? That's how I say _California._ "

"No it's not," she insisted, shaking her head. "That's how you talk if you're about to vomit from bad cheese."

"Guess the real question should be why I ate bad cheese...and why you know what that sounds like. You eating bad cheese out in _California_?" he asked, over emphasising his disdain of the state as he spat the word out.

"No...I'm not eating bad cheese in California. It's just a state, same as anywhere else."

He slammed his foot on the break, making them shoot forward from inertia and she heard the jug of water smack into the side of the truck bed.

" _California_ is not the same as anywhere else. Don't you _dare_ say that, Higurashi. How can you say that, with all them _city folk_ buying up _our_ land to pretend they can be a rancher for the summer? They like the fantasy of who we are. _Not_ the reality."

"But they're hiring peop—"

"—Do _not_ try to defend them. You hear me? Don't you _dare_ start with me, Higurashi."

"Ok," she whispered. It wasn't worth arguing over. She forgot how small minded he could be sometimes. How he could be so... _wrapped up_ in this life that he didn't see the more global picture.

"Glad we're clear," he nodded, removing his foot from the break and back to the gas so the truck could slowly start accelerating again.

"So…" she began awkwardly after a moment. "You and Kikyo, huh?"

"Whatta 'bout it?"

"Nothing. Just...surprised. You didn't seem that into her when we were younger."

"Didn't really see her back then."

"And you do now? When did that happen?"

He let out a deep sigh as her rental came into view, the setting sun washing over the silver and making it glow. Inuyasha put the car into park, turning off the engine and drummed his fingers against the wheel in thought.

"You really wanna have this conversation Kagome?" he finally asked, turning to shoot her an uncertain look.

"I'm curious," she shrugged weakly, failing at looking nonchalant. "Besides. You know all about Zach."

"So the pet cat has a name," he whistled. "Bet he's a pretty boy too. Those cat demons normally are. Lemme guess - green eyes? Blond hair? Perfectly quaffed, wavy locks?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but yes. And we aren't together anymore anyways - we broke up a few weeks ago."

He blinked hard at her words as they seemed to roll around in his head.

"Now what did he do ta make ya end it with him?"

"Who says I ended it?" she snapped.

"Nothing. Just a gut feeling."

"Well I didn't so...so _there_!"

His face softened and he actually looked empathetic instead of like he was going to rip her throat out.

"Kagome...I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. I'm fine with it. We weren't meant to be, and it wasn't a good relationship. I mean, it was...but...it wasn't, you know?"

He nodded his head, silently gripping and relaxing his fingers around the wheel as he exhaled loudly.

"Still. I know how hard that is."

"Because of us?"

"You aren't the only woman I've ever dated, Kagome," he smiled wryly.

Why did that surprise her? It shouldn't.

"I know. You're with Kikyo now."

"I dated others before her too...and I think 'with' is a bit of a strong word."

"Then how would you describe it?"

"I'd describe it as none of _your_ business."

She sighed and unbuckled her seatbelt, shaking her head as she moved to open the door. It was open only a crack before he reached over her and closed the door again. He cupped her cheek and turned her face to look at him, his face soft.

"Listen," he began with a long exhale, lowering his hand, "Kikyo 'n I are just talking. We've never even kissed. Hell, we've been on _maybe_ two dates, depending on how ya look at it. And as for when I started to _see_ her…" he paused and she watched him bite the inside of his lip before confessing. "Kagome, I never saw anyone other than you since the day you kissed me after I broke my arm. I was like a horse with blinders on. And then when you left...they stayed on for a real long time, until I just...woke up one day and they were finally off.

But, you don't...you don't get to be upset that there's a woman out there who likes me, got it? I offered you everything...and everything wasn't good enough for ya. It's good enough for someone else though, and you don't get to be upset over that, ok?"

She wanted to tell him it had been...She wanted to tell him that everything he had offered her _was_ enough. She just hadn't been ready...She had been so broken…she just couldn't…

"And you don't get to be upset over who I date either," she replied instead, not wanting to pour salt on the still open wound.

He pursed his lips together and nodded his head in agreement.

"I don't. What's in the past should stay there...and we should both just...move on."

"Glad we agree," she replied tightly, reopening the door and he followed suit, walking around to the bed of the truck and pulling out the water jug. He made quick work of tending to her rental, pouring the water in and she pulled out the keys, hopping in and waiting for his signal to start it up.

"Why dontcha give it a go?" he prompted, and the engine rumbled to life again. He quickly closed the hood, backing away from the front and walking over to the side. "Sounds like ya should be fine. You got real lucky this time. Don't you start doubting Fords," he smiled weakly, and she returned it.

"I won't."

"Listen," he breathed slowly, nervously. "I...I just want you to take care of yourself. Ok?"

"This sounds a lot like goodbye again, Inuyasha," she mused, and he lowered his gaze.

"Ain't it?"

Was it? Did she want it to be?

"I guess it is…" she whispered, glancing away from him. "Goodbye, Inuyasha. You take care of yourself too. I hope you're happy. Truly. With Kikyo or any of the others. You deserve to be."

She turned her head away from him and pulled her car out of park, shifting the gear into drive. She was about to step on the gas when she felt two clawed hands gently grab her face, pulling it out of the window.

She gasped and her eyes widened in surprise before closing when she felt his lips tenderly press against hers in a soft, lingering kiss before he pulled away. The feel of his lips against hers...it was just as she remembered it. Only she didn't remember this painful aching in her chest when they had kissed in the past...Or this horrible need to grab ahold of his neck to bury her face into his chest and just _cry_.

"Just wanted to do that one last time," he whispered just loud enough for her to hear, almost as if he were ashamed of himself. Of still wanting her. Of wanting what they once had. What they could have been.

It felt so final. Like they were finally closing the book, sealing it shut with glue, and tossing it into a fire so it could never be looked at again, let alone read.

She could only nod and whisper goodbye again before pulling away as twilight began to settle around them, heading down the road to her mother's...the feel of his lips on hers haunting her the whole way.

* * *

A/N: Again…Highly encourage you to reread everything!


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter Five

Kagome drove down the long, winding dirt path to her mother's house, the events of the day playing over and over again in her head. She had so many questions for her mother, starting with "what the hell was going on?", followed by "why is Inuyasha helping out around the ranch?".

As her childhood home came into view, she felt the familiar bitter sweetness of nostalgia wash over her. This was the home she had grown up in. This house was the background for most of her childhood memories…both good and bad.

The wooden rocking chairs were still out on the porch. She had spent hours there as a child with her grandfather, listening to his stories about her father as a child. It's where she had plucked her fingers raw as his leathery hands covered hers, teaching her to play his guitar.

The front yard was cleaner now. It still had a soccer ball near the side, but the bikes were gone. Stored in the shed around back, like they were supposed to be. She supposed her brother drove to school now instead of biking the long distance.

She used to hate biking to school too. Only she didn't. Because Inuyasha would stop by first and go with her. He would race with her...letting her win almost every single time, because they both knew that he could pedal a lot faster.

Their fathers had taught them how to ride the bike at the same time...on this very long, winding road. Inuyasha would put on a brave face whenever he fell and skinned himself, but her father would swoop in, look at his wounds, and give him a hug. Her father would call him a champ when he stood back up, ready to keep going.

That's the kind of man her father was.

The kind of man who would wake up at four in the morning to take her fishing and just listen to her talk about all of her problems, no matter how big or small they were. He'd listen to her complain and vent over school work, excitedly talk about the latest article she was working on for the school paper, and confess her ideas for that newest short story.

It was their special time together. Where they could just be and bond...Where he had told her that he believed in her dreams. Where he told her that she was a talented writer and should keep pursuing it. Where he had told her that he was happy she was happy with Inuyasha...but if he hurt her, he wouldn't hesitate to break out his shotgun.

She had groaned at that...but having his blessing? For all of it?

It had meant the world to her.

Now...the rocking chairs stood empty, and the fishing rods lay coated in dust.

A small light had been extinguished in her heart with each of their passing...and it had taken a long time to find a flashlight for the void within.

She put her car into park, coming around to the trunk to pop it and remove her suitcase as the door to the house opened.

"Kagome!" her younger brother, Souta, called as he ran over to her, leaping into her arms so suddenly she had to drop the suitcase to catch him. "Trust fall!" he yelled as she staggered backwards from the force, the car catching her in her back. If it hadn't been there, she would have landed on her ass, but she didn't care.

"Souta," she laughed, her heart feeling a bit lighter. This was why she had come home. For him. For his graduation.

"Hey sis," he grinned, his eyes happily dancing before he bent over and tucked his head under her chin, squeezing the air out of her lungs.

"S-Sout-ta...C-can't...breathe…"

"That's ok."

"S-Souta!"

"Alright," he grumbled, pulling away from her and she gasped for air, bending over to rest her hands on her knees. "I'm so glad you made it! We were a bit worried that you wouldn't when your flight got delayed...and then we heard your car broke down…"

"I wasn't going to let that stop me! It's your big day buddy...I couldn't miss that," she grinned, righting herself and grabbing him around the shoulders to muss up his hair. "God...I think you grew another inch since Christmas...would you stop growing already? You're already taller than me."

"Just trying to catch up to Inuy-ah...LeBron James. You know. So I can have a better shot at the NBA," he smiled weakly.

"You can say his name, Souta," she replied, pulling away to push her hair behind her ears as he picked up her suitcase. "He's a good man. Not Voldemort...we don't have to pretend he doesn't exist, ok?"

"Are we pretending that Zach doesn't exist?" he asked, leading her into the house.

"Yes. Yes we are," she laughed, closing the door. It smelled like home...or at least of her mother's fried chicken. And if that wasn't home, she wasn't sure what was.

"Oh! My Sweet Baby Girl!" She heard her mother's sweet, melodic timbre instantly washed away any lingering pain from her hellish day. It was all worth it. The delayed flight. The broken down car. The horrible dinner. All of it was worth it so that she could be _here_. With her family.

She'd brave it all again just for this.

Her mother swept her up into her arms, rocking her from side to side, and she inhaled deeply. Underneath the scent of fried chicken, she smelled of her, and of the fancy rose scented perfume she only wore on special occasions.

"Hi Mama," she sighed, pulling away to look closely at her mother. She was the same, but not. She was a bit thinner than she remembered her being...her cheeks only slightly more sunken in than she recalled as being "normal" for her mother. She wore concealer, under her eyes...something she normally avoided doing. Perhaps it was to hide the dark circles she was certain was under it? Her hair, while still short and wavy, was a bit frizzier than she remembered it being as well. Sure it was summer and all, but her mother had always taken pride in her hair.

If Inuyasha hadn't already tipped her off that something might be wrong here, she would have known the second she saw her mother.

"Let me get a look at you! Oh it's been too long, Kagome!" Her mother sighed, holding her out at an arm's length as she examined her. "Good! You're eating well."

" _Mother!_ Did you just call me _fat?_ "

"I said nothing of the sort - I'm just glad living in _California_ hasn't gotten to you yet and I don't have a twig daughter."

 _God!_ Everyone and their hatred of California!

"I'm _fine_ Mama," she groused. "Maybe a little tired and emotionally worn down from dinner...but I'm _fine_."

"Yeah how'd that go?" Souta called, running down the stairs from her room. He sounded like a bull in a china cabinet, with the way his feet pounded on each step. "I was shocked when Mama told me. Of all the places for your car to break down…"

"Trust me - I know," she replied rolling her eyes as she followed her mother and brother into the kitchen. "It was...well, I would have liked it if it had gone better, but it could have been a hell of a lot worse. Inuyasha helped me fix the car up as soon as dinner was over."

"Did you two talk about anything?" her mother pried lightly, placing an open Tupperware of chocolate chip cookies in the center of the table.

She snorted and plucked a cookie out from the pile within, taking a bite and asking, "about what specifically?"

"I don't know, anything noteworthy," she shrugged, reaching into the refrigerator and pulling out the milk, pouring it into two glasses.

"She's asking if you and Inuyasha talked about... _things_ ," her brother helpfully supplied.

"We talked about a bunch of things."

"Such as?" her mother tried again, placing the milk in front of them and crossing her arms on the table.

"Such as my favorite color," she replied dryly, taking a sip from her milk.

"No...really..." her mother said, cocking her head to the side.

"Really," Kagome confirmed, taking another bite from her cookie. "He asked me what it was. He wasn't sure if it was still green. Shouldn't we be talking about something more exciting than my run in with Inuyasha? Like Souta's graduation?"

"I dunno sis," he teased. "You've been avoiding him for seven years. This feels pretty exciting to me…"

She threw her cookie at him.

"The two of you! We're fine. Everything's fine. Can we just...move on from him?" she groaned, and they reluctantly changed the conversation to Souta's graduation plans.

The ceremony was the day after next, and Souta has requested that they go to Ottwell's, one of only two diners in town, afterwards followed by bowling. He had plans with some friends that night, so he was graciously gracing them with his presence in the afternoon.

After that, they spent the next two hours talking about everything and nothing. Kagome filled them in on how work at the magazine and was going, and confirmed that no...she hadn't seriously started dating anyone new yet. She had set up Tinder on her phone again though.

Buyo her cat was fine. A little older and crotchetier, but her roommate Ayame was looking after him while she was gone. The two had been roommates in college Ayame and she had become fast friends of the wolf demoness, each supporting the other on all of life's ups and downs on the west coast.

Souta, she was surprised to hear, had decided to delay attending a college for a year. When she had pressed him on why, he had simply shrugged and told her that he wasn't sure what he wanted to do beyond this...and if there even was something he wanted to do beyond this. Besides. It's not like it ever hurt anyone to take a year off. He would use the time to help around the ranch and do some soul searching.

She would have liked to argue with him, but she couldn't. It was important that he forge his own path, and if this was what he needed to do…well...she might not like it, but she could support it. Just as they had when she left home for UCLA.

When he began to fake yawn to excuse himself to go to sleep, but really play video games in his room, Kagome stood up and snapped the lid back onto the Tupperware of cookies.

"You know, I had been hoping that perhaps you had patched things up with Inuyasha," her mother began casually, watching her daughter wash her hands in the kitchen sink.

Kagome could sense her mother had been waiting until he was out of earshot before starting this conversation, and she sighed.

"Mama…"

"He didn't want to upset you, but Souta would really like it if Inuyasha would join us. The bond he shares with him...you know he's always been like an older brother to him."

"And you're both asking me for permission to invite him along?" she smiled wryly, coming to slump down in a chair at the kitchen table again.

"He's not. He didn't want to hurt you...but he's mentioned it quite a bit in passing. I am, though. It would mean the world to him, Sweetheart."

Kagome worried her fingers and bit the inside of her lip, her chest slightly pained that they were afraid to invite him along because it would upset her. She knew that the two had always shared a special bond. Inuyasha was the older brother Souta had never had...and he was the brother Inuyasha had always wished he had.

It hurt that her family didn't believe in her ability to keep it together with him for one day for her brother's sake...yet what reason did they have to believe that they could?

Every single time she had ever come in, they had carefully asked just once if she planned to see him. And every time her answer had been no.

She avoided him like the plague.

But...if today was any indication, fate really was forcing him back into her life.

Besides. Souta deserved to have his male role model there. Their grandfather and father died when he was so young...Inuyasha was all he had to look up to. She couldn't take that from him.

"He should be there. We can be civil for an afternoon, if today was any indication," she finally whispered, and her mother reached out to take her hands, giving them a light squeeze.

"Thank you Sweetie," she grinned warmly. "Why don't you tell him in the morning? It will make his day and I don't think he'd be able to go to sleep now if we told him."

"Sounds good," she nodded. "I...Mama...I want to ask you something. About something Inuyasha said earlier."

Her mother instantly froze and her back straightened. She was apprehensive.

"Oh? What did he say?"

"He implied that things aren't going so well here. That he's been helping out around here a lot? At least enough to know I was dating Zach, and that's not exactly a casual conversation topic…"

Her mother's eyes flashed with slight agitation before she schooled her expression again into casual nonchalance.

"Nothing is wrong, Sweetie. He's offered to help out, and I appreciate his assistance."

"But _why_ did he offer? Mama...come on. You can tell me. I know something is going on. The Takahashi's have a large enough ranch that Inuyasha wouldn't offer to help unless there was a good reason...And you look stressed, Mama. You aren't eating right...getting enough sleep...your hair is a mess…"

"Kagome Higurashi, you bite your tongue! I raised you better than to insult your mother!"

"I'm not insulting you, I'm trying to figure out what is going on!" she snapped in exasperation. "Please Mama...I'm not a child. You can confide in me. What's going on here?"

Her mother gave her a long, hard look before sighing and rising to her feet, retrieving two of her father's whisky glasses and a bottle of Jim Beam. She deftly poured two fingers worth into each glass, adding a few ice cubes before setting the drinks down on the old, wooden table.

She sat down, picking up one of the glasses and giving the amber liquid a swirl, trying to chill it a bit faster before taking a sip.

"Kagome...the ranch isn't doing so well. We haven't been for the last year."

"What?" she gasped, pulling her glass closer to her and gripping it tightly between white-knuckled fingers. "What happened?"

"It was just...one thing after another. First we had a rodent infestation in the feed...then Bullseye died of old age, and Bill got sick...we only had Benny left," her mother began, shaking her head as she began to list their tragedies. Bullseye, Bill, and Benny were all of their bulls. And if they were only down to one breeding male, that would make breeding seasons difficult and affect profits. The rodent infestation would have killed off most of their feed...and both replacing the feed and their bulls was expensive.

"Then we had a bout of coyote attacks picking off the calves," her mother continued. "Money got so tight that I had to make some hard decisions. I had to let go of Matthew, Jim, and Kenny. They've found work elsewhere, but it's been hard maintaining this place without their help and with the loan shark breathing down our neck—"

"—Loan shark?!" She squealed. "You went to a loan shark?"

"Kagome, Honey, I was desperate. It's expensive replacing all of that feed...and I was only able to replace one of the bulls to try and keep us going, but it hasn't been digging us out of the hole yet," her mother sighed, taking another long swig from her glass. "The mortgage was due and I didn't have the money, so I did the only thing I could."

Kagome took a few, deep gulps of her drink and ran her fingers through her hair.

"Oh my God," she whispered, leaning forward onto the table. How could her mother have kept this from her? She could have helped! Would have helped! She would have sent back some of her paycheck, would have looked for alternative solutions that didn't involve turning to a _loan shark_...She would have...she would have done _something!_

"We will be fine, Sweetheart," her mother soothed, taking another sip from her glass. "Things will be tight, but we've made due before. We will again. I'm...I'm thankful to Inuyasha, though. If it weren't for him...I don't know how we'd be doing if it weren't for him."

"I'm confused. You let go of Matthew, Jim, and Kenny, and hired Inuyasha?"

Her mother shot her a sad smile, tilting her head to the side.

"We didn't hire him, Kagome. He's just been doing. Showed up one day before dawn and had already fed the livestock and collected all the eggs before I even had breakfast made. I insisted on giving him something for his time, but he didn't want anything other than…" She trailed off and closed her eyes sighing.

"Other than what?" Kagome swallowed.

"Other than the occasional update on how you're doing. I think...I think a part of him still loves you, Sweetie."

She couldn't have stopped the bitter laugh from bubbling out of her throat even if she had tried to.

Him? Still in love with her?

Hardly.

Though he had kissed her…She could still feel his lips pressed against hers...

But that was a goodbye.

Wasn't it?

Yes. It was. And she wasn't going to start thinking differently. It would be a mistake if she did.

Sure they had a few moments of...comradery? Civility? Nostalgia? But it wasn't anything more than that. There was enough hostility and thinly veiled barbs to be construed as something more than two people trying to get along for the evening.

"I think you're sorely mistaken, Mama."

Her mother gave her a knowing look, but didn't say more on the subject. "Regardless," she continued, "he's been coming by every morning, helping for as long as he can until he has to go back home and work for his father. I've been making him breakfast, so there's a chance you'll run into him again before Souta's graduation."

Perfect.

There really wasn't any hiding this trip, huh?

"Well...thanks for letting me know," she sighed. "At least I have a head's up this time, right?"

* * *

A/N: Again…Highly encourage you to reread everything! And be sure to check out all of Clearwillow's art on chapter one!


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 6

"I appreciate the lift, Pops," Inuyasha thanked, picking up the small, jam mason jar of flowers by his feet as he got out of the truck. "Souta is gonna drop me off later, so ya don't need to get me."

"You sure you want to do this, Inuyasha?" his father asked as Inuyasha closed the door to the truck. "You don't have to."

"Yeah...I do. It's how you raised me," he chuckled.

"I don't remember raising a masochist," his father joked lightly before adding more seriously, "But I do remember raising a hell of a fine young man. I'm proud of you. You know that, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah...Stop being all mushy. I got things ta get done. I'll see ya later?"

He watched his father give a nod before pulling the truck around and driving off back towards their ranch, and Inuyasha sighed. It had been one thing doing this when she wasn't here. But she was now...and that…

That messed with him.

Knowing she was up there made this harder somehow.

He reached into his back pants pocket to pull out the key to the Higurashi's house, opening the door and heading straight for the kitchen. He quickly filled the mason jar with more water and placed it in the center of their table. It was just a bunch of brightly colored wildflowers that grew on their land. Nothing that spectacular...yet he found himself fussing over them anyways.

He didn't know what had gotten into himself. He just...came back from dropping Kagome off at her car and went for a ride on Bessie to clear his mind. He didn't realize he had ridden to _"their"_ spot until he was there, looking out at the cliffs and the water of the lake. He didn't know why he had done it. Maybe it was because seeing her had taken him back and left him with a bitter sweet taste in his mouth...and on his lips.

Either way, he was there, and he was going to the Higurashis' the next day and see Kikyo...And before he knew what he was doing, he was breaking out his Tessaiga brand switchblade, cutting wildflowers like he had lost his mind.

He heard light footed padding come down the stairs and he quickly backed away, turning around to wash his hands as he heard them enter the kitchen.

"Inuyasha?"

Kagome…

His chest squeezed a little and felt his heart move up to his throat as he turned around. She wore nothing but a tanktop and a pair of sleep shorts. Her eyes were still sleepy and her hair was voluminous and wavy.

She had never looked more beautiful.

No.

He wasn't doing this again.

"Yeah?" he replied gruffly, crossing his arms over his chest. "What're ya doing up?"

"I heard something…" she replied, her eyes slowly becoming more alert. "You're here so early."

"I have a busy day," he shrugged, shifting his eyes away from her as she crossed one arm under her breasts to pull the other closer to her body, creating the perfect little shelf for them.

"I know. Mama told me…" she began, trailing off, and he noticed her look away, her face darkening in shame. "She never told me…" Kagome began, shaking her head. "I can't believe…" she sobbed, bringing her hands up to her mouth as she hung her head.

The acrid scent of tears filled his nostrils and he was across the room before he could process what he was doing, gathering her into his arms.

"Hey…" he soothed, rubbing her back as she began to tremble. "It'll be alright. Always is."

Her hands wrapped around him and her face buried itself in the crook of his neck as she brokenly asked, "what if it's not?"

"It will be," he said more firmly. "Takahashis and Higurashis don't just roll over and give up. You know that. We're made of stronger stock than that." He felt a warm gust of air wash over his neck as she let out a breathy laugh, and he held her that much closer, tenderly rubbing her back and letting out a soothing growl. He felt her relax in his arms, her tears slowing down until they stopped altogether when she had calmed.

She didn't move away from him, though. Instead she stayed there, clinging to him as he continued to rub her back. He hated himself for it, but he missed holding her. He couldn't let himself fall back into old habits, however. He couldn't handle that kind of heartbreak again. He slowly disentangled himself from her once he was sure she was fine, and moved away from her.

He needed to put some space between them.

"Well…" he began awkwardly, "I'm gonna go get started…"

"Can I make you breakfast?" she blurted out, and he raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I mean...Mama said she always makes you breakfast. And she's not up yet, so I just thought…"

"...Yeah. That'd be nice," he nodded, and she quickly moved to the fridge, looking through it for ingredients.

"Need help?" He asked, coming to stand behind her after a moment, instantly regretting it. Her shorts had ridden up a bit more than he would have thought possible, and he didn't need those kinds of images plaguing him for the next seven years like his old ones had.

"I'm ok," she replied, finding the bacon she had been searching for and grabbing the eggs before closing the fridge. "Why don't you sit down while I get this started?"

"Are you sure?" he tried again, standing behind a chair at the table. "I don't mind…"

"Please, Inuyasha. It's the least I can do," she replied, stooping down to open a cabinet drawer and locate a pan. She quickly lit the stove and let it heat as she poured some water into the coffee maker.

He silently nodded his head and pulled the chair out from the table, sitting down and watched as she froze.

"Do...do you like coffee?" Kagome asked uncertainly, turning around as she was about to put the filter into the machine. "I just kind of assumed…"

"I do," he smiled weakly, and she nodded, going about starting it before adding the bacon to the pan. It sizzled as the meat touched the hot metal, and the room slowly began to smell of frying bacon.

"So...When did you start drinking coffee?" she asked, washing her hands in the sink.

"Some time after graduation," he shrugged, not sure when. He just knew that she wasn't here for it. The bitter taste had felt _good_ at the time. It matched his heart, and as a melodramatic post break up teen, that had been quite satisfying. Now he just liked it for the caffeine. "You're making enough for you too, right?"

"Coffee?"

"Everything."

"I…" she began hesitantly, looking away as she smoothed her hair behind her ears. "I can."

"If you don't mind? I don't like eating alone." Why was he doing this to himself? He should just eat and run and get his shit done so he could get his shit done at home. He really _did_ have a busy day since he was helping Kikyo and the school set up for graduation...and then the Rusty Bucket after.

"I will," she smiled, turning around to flip the bacon and add a few more pieces to the pan. "So, listen...Inuyasha…"

Fuck. In his experience, any conversation that started out with "so listen Inuyasha," was not a good conversation. And she wanted to have it before the coffee even finished brewing? He was well and thoroughly screwed.

"Mama told me that Souta would really like it if you came with us to his graduation. It's just lunch at Ottwell's and then bowling. You don't have to, but it would mean the world to him."

"And you're fine with this," he asked skeptically.

"It's Souta's graduation. If I can survive dinner last night, I can survive a few more hours in your presence for his sake."

"Well excuse me for making dinner so difficult," he replied sharply, and she turned around, frowning at him.

"I didn't mean it as an insult, Inuyasha."

"Yeah? Then how should I have taken it?" There went his good manners this morning. Fuck. He really should have had coffee before he came. Maybe it would have put him in a better mood for this.

"I meant that...being around you is hard, ok? It's just a reminder of a lot of things I tried to outrun."

"Like a proposal?"

"Born only from my father _dying_ ," she snapped. "You never would have done it if he hadn't. Maybe eventually, but not then. Don't lie," she bit out as he opened his mouth to refute it. "I was spiraling, and you were trying to hold on...and it just made me push that much harder to scramble away faster."

His jaw clenched and unclenched as he ground his teeth again.

He had done it for more than just that. He had been thinking about it long before her father had passed. He loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. Yes. His timing could have been better...but she was leaving everyone behind for that fucking university!

He didn't know what else to do.

He wanted to show her he was committed to her, and if that's what she needed...he'd support her. He just wanted to make sure she remembered that he was waiting for her. He knew she was the one. Proposing had just felt so... _logical_ and _right_ at the time, and he had been so ready for it. He had loved her for nearly eight years at that point.

Why wouldn't he propose? There was no one _but_ Kagome.

"Kagome...it's too damn early in the morning for this shit."

"I agree," she huffed, removing the finished bacon and flipping the new pieces. "And I don't want to fight anymore than you do. I'm done fighting with you, Inuyasha. I'm sorry if that came out wrong...but Souta would love for you to come, and I think you should. You've always been like a brother to him, and a male role model...please think about it," she encouraged, removing the rest of the bacon before cracking open the eggs into the pan. "Over easy, or scrambled?"

"Over easy," he sighed, running his hands through his hair as she plucked two pieces of bread from the bread box and added them to the toaster.

He knew he should do it. He loved the brat too, and after Kagome had left, somehow they had only gotten closer to each other. This was a big day for Souta. Hell...it had been a big day when he and Kagome had graduated.

Souta was bigger than their problems...and she was right. If they could put aside their differences for one evening...well...mostly put their differences aside for one evening...then they could do it one more time for the kid.

He didn't deserve any hostility from the fall out of their split seven years later.

Inuyasha looked up as Kagome placed his plate and a cup of coffee in front of him before putting her own down across the table.

"Cream or sugar with your coffee?"

"I take it black," he replied gently, shaking his head and she nodded in recognition.

"Me too," she smiled weakly, pulling out her chair and sitting down.

"Really? Woulda pegged ya as a caramel, frapi, venti something Starbucks girl."

"Oh I like those too," she replied, her smile becoming a bit stronger before saddening again. "But I like my home brewed coffee black, like Papa."

"Oh…"

"Yeah," she shrugged. "It's bitter...but it's comforting."

He nodded and picked up his mug, taking a sip from it.

"Well, you certainly know how to make a damn good cup of coffee - I'll give ya that."

"Thanks," she grinned before her brow furrowed as her gaze landed on his small mason jar. "I don't remember those flowers being here yesterday."

"Ah...ha. That's 'cause they weren't," he replied nervously. "I brought them today."

"Really?" she whispered, her eyes and expression softening dramatically. "They look like the ones that used to grow by the cliff."

"Yeah. They are. Ended up riding out there after you left and picked a bunch for Kikyo and ya'll."

All of the softness from her face instantly hardened, and he regretted telling her the second it had.

"I see. Have you brought Kikyo out there yet?" her voice was much colder than it had been a moment ago and he internally winced.

"Nope. Don't know if I ever will. We'll see."

"Why not? I'm sure she will _love_ the view."

"'Cause."

" _Be_ cause why?"

" _Be_ cause maybe I don't wanna, 'kay?"

She rolled her eyes and sipped more of her coffee.

"Fine. Don't then. No one is going to make you one way or another."

He watched her pick up a fork and jab it into her eggs, the yellow yolk running everywhere as she cut off a small piece. She was really pissed at the idea of another woman out there with him. Or maybe it was the idea of _Kikyo_ out there with him. She had never liked her, for reasons he had never understood. Frankly, he didn't care either...but he did care that it was bothering her so much.

"I'm not going to take her to our spot, Kagome," he finally began, and she looked up from her plate. "It's our spot. I wouldn't do that."

Her face softened again and she nodded, a small smile kissing her lips.

"Ok," she thanked him, and he nodded, starting his own breakfast.

"So...how long are you here for? I'd imagine you're leaving the day after graduation ends."

"Actually...I'm not. I'm here for the week, but I was going to contact my boss about working remotely for a while later today."

He paused with his fork in midair, egg yolk sliding down it and dripping onto his worn, red henley t-shirt.

Kagome saw it and rolled her eyes, rising to get a sponge from the sink.

"It's that surprising?" she asked, coming around to gently undo the first few buttons of his shirt and work her fingers under the soft fabric. She accidentally grazed his skin as she pulled it away from his chest so she could dab at it and clean off the yolk, and he ignored the way her touch still made his skin tingle.

"Well...yeah...I mean...shit...Why are you doing that?" She shot him a knowing look, and his ears flattened to his head. "But...I thought you loved your job…"

"I do. And there's no reason I can't write for the magazine from here while I help get this place in order."

"But what if your boss says no?"

"Then I'll figure something else out. But I'm not gonna run from this now that I know it's going on. Why...is me staying here for an extended period of time a problem?" she demanded, pulling away from him and crossing her arms under her breasts. The action pushed them up and together in that delightful way again and made him look away.

"No. It won't be."

"Good," she nodded, returning the sponge to the sink.

"That's why you're up, ain't it? Couldn't sleep 'cause you were stressing 'bout the ranch."

"How did you know?"

"I know you, Kagome," he smiled gently. "And some things...some things never change."

* * *

A/N: Again…Highly encourage you to reread everything! And as always...thank you to Clearwillow for the art use! Please check out chapter one for all the other art!! You won't be sorry. TRUST ME. ~~Especially that last one.~~


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 7

"Hey kid," Inuyasha grinned, grabbing Souta around the shoulders and mussing up his hair.

"Aw hell, do you have to do that," Souta groaned, struggling to get free and causing Inuyasha to let out a deep, full-bodied laugh.

"A'course I do," he grinned cheekily, and Souta sighed, figuring there was no point in fighting the much older and stronger man. When Inuyasha let him go, he watched the young man run his fingers through his black locks, trying to fix his hair at least a little.

"You smell like shit," Souta griped, and Inuyasha smacked lightly upside the head.

"Watch your language - you're too young ta start saying that shit."

"Yeah? And what about you?"

"I'm older, wiser, and my Ma ain't in the house over there," he smirked, tilting his head to the side.

"Rub it in," Souta grumbled, leading Inuyasha over to their truck, and he chuckled again as he hopped into the passenger side, letting Souta drive. The truck rumbled to life and Souta rolled down the windows, cranking up the country music in the car so it blared out the windows.

"Not too loud," Inuyasha chided, folding his ears flat as he turned the radio down a little, and Souta grinned sheepishly at him as he put the car in drive.

"Sorry," he apologized as they headed down the Higurashis' long and winding driveway towards the main road.

"It's fine Squirt," Inuyasha smirked, and Souta shot him a withering look.

"When are you gonna stop calling me that?"

"When you're taller."

"That's what you always say."

"That's 'cause I'll do it when you're taller."

"When is that exactly? What's tall enough for you? Kagome already thinks I'm almost as tall as you now."

Inuyasha's smile faded a little as he thought about what Souta had said. He had always been a small, little kid. The baby…but…he really wasn't a baby anymore, was he?

Souta didn't climb up trees and get too scared to come back down from them, needing him to come and get him. He didn't race over to him to show him the lastest trading card he got at school or the newest hot wheel he had received for a good grade.

He was eighteen now. A man by most standards…and he _was_ almost as tall as he was now.

When the hell had that happened? When the hell had Souta grown up?

He shook his head and sighed before admitting, "yeah…I guess you are now, huh? You aren't a kid anymore are ya?"

"Getting sappy?" Souta teased.

"Nah. Just…feelin' old."

"Well…"

"Hey!"

"You started it!" Souta defended, and Inuyasha barked out a laugh, his eyes twinkling.

"Yeah…I did…Hey…listen kid," he began, figuring now was as good a time as any to bring up tomorrow. "Kagome told me that you want me ta come ta graduation tomorrow?"

Souta glanced nervously at him, suddenly apprehensive.

"I would," he confirmed warily, "Is…that ok? Since Kagome is coming too?"

"Yeah," he breathed out in a loud puff. "Kagome and I talked about it a little. We both love you, and want to be there for your big day. We're adults now…we can put the past behind us. So if you want me too—"

"—Of course I want you to!" Souta immediately interrupted. "I was just too nervous to ask you about it. I thought…"

"Yeah. I know. But you thought wrong."

"Do you wanna come with us? We were gonna go down in Kagome's rental."

Inuyasha whistled long and low at that.

"Might need to. Kagome doesn't know how to drive that thing!"

* * *

"You shouldn't do that without a spotter," Inuyasha chided as Kikyo stood on the balls of her feet on the top rung of the ladder, trying to hang a banner.

After Souta had dropped Inuyasha off at his family's ranch, he had worked there for a few more hours helping with the livestock before showering and taking the sedan into town. Once there, he only had a few minutes to spare to drop it off at Dave's Auto Service before he needed to be at the high school auditorium to help set up for graduation.

Kikyo had taken the lead this year for preparations, and when they had spoken about it in passing, she had casually mentioned that they were down a few hands. One teacher, Jackson Humphrey, was out with a horrible stomach bug, and Erica Welch was out on maternity leave.

The extra set of hands was greatly appreciated, and his strength and speed would easily make up for the missing help.

"Probably not," she agreed, "but I didn't want to bother anyone."

"Please. Bother," he chuckled, coming to take hold of the ladder as she continued to struggle to mount the banner. "I wouldn't want you ta fall and break your neck."

"And if I did? Would you come visit me in the hospital?"

"I dunno…it's a hell of a drive. If you wanted to get me alone, there are much easier ways of going about it," he flirted, and her airy giggle filled the auditorium.

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Like buying me a drink at the Rusty Bucket tonight," he grinned back.

"Mmm…that does sound easier," she grinned back, her red lips perfectly framing her white teeth.

He couldn't help but notice how lovely she looked today. Her stick straight, waist length, black hair had been tied up to keep her it from falling into her eyes as she worked. She wore a white t-shirt and a red pair of shorts with a girly bow in the front. He didn't know how, but they showed off her shapely legs in a way he had been ashamed to say he had paused to admire a few too many times today. She was cute, and easy going, and he could tell that she was ready for a break from teaching for a few months.

Inuyasha smiled as she finally attached the banner to the wall and let out a small sound of victory before climbing down a few rungs to get the other corner.

If he were being honest with himself, Kikyo had always been lovely…going back as far as middle school. She had never really dated around however, which is why it was such a surprise when she had asked him if he would like to get coffee a few weeks back, after church.

Honestly, he thought she didn't think that much of him one way or another. She might have been a _little_ flirty back in the day but he was so taken by Kagome that he didn't really notice. He did vaguely remember a time when he thought she had tried to kiss him when they were working on a group project for science…but she had just rolled her eyes and told him that she was getting an eyelash off of his face. He had been embarrassed and had stammered out some sort of apology and that had been the extent of her "interest" in him.

It was cute, really, when she asked him out all these years later. Her cheeks had turned bright red as she pulled him off to the side and asked him if he had any plans after, or if he was going to go back to the ranch. He said he didn't and he'd love to go for coffee. That had been their first "date", their second being a lunch at Ottwell's, which was when she had mentioned needing help.

Though it wasn't really labeled as such…tonight could be seen as their third date.

He was a little nervous and excited for it. He still felt awkward on dates when he thought of them as such. He had spent his youth with Kagome, so dating had been a challenge after they had broken up.

Sure he _had_ …and he had been to the _rodeo_ before at this point… _ridden a filly_ , if you will…but it hadn't been easy and he'd been damn insecure about the whole thing. He hadn't known where to place limbs and heads had smacked into each other as he fumbled, trying to figure out what to do…that first time had been an… _experience_ , to say the least.

It had also been a challenge feeling like he _could_ finally date again without having this twisted voice in the back of his head whispering that he was betraying Kagome.

She had fucking left _him_ damnit! He deserved to move on, and he sure as _hell_ wasn't betraying anyone. If anything, Kagome should feel like she was betraying him!

That was the problem with being a dog demon though.

The unshakable sense of loyalty that was ingrained into him on an instinctual level.

"Two down…two to go," Kikyo cheered as she began climbing down. When her waist was eye level, he wrapped his arms around her, plucking her from the ladder and swinging her around.

She squealed in delight, holding onto his arms as her head tilted back. "Inuyasha!" she weakly protested, his name leaving her lips in a bubble of laughter. "Inuyasha, what do you think you're doing?"

He dropped her after a second and placed his hands on her hips, pulling her back against his chest.

"Nothing," he rumbled, leaning down to press a kiss to her cheek. "Just making sure ya don't hurt yourself."

"I don't think I'm at risk for that," she giggled, "I do think you're at risk for something, though."

"Yeah? What's that?"

"Being kissed," she smiled, turning around in his arms. She nervously bit her lip before hesitantly tilting her head up and standing on the tips of her toes. He leaned his head closer, his heart nervously racing as she placed a soft, chaste kiss to his lips.

Their first kiss.

It was tentative and sweet and exploratory, and he was pretty sure he had her cherry red lipstick smeared on his lips, but he didn't care.

When she pulled slightly away from him, he rest his forehead to hers, a smile spreading across his face.

He moved away from her after a moment and she nervously bit her lip, looking up at him through her lashes as her cheeks heated.

"You don't know how long I've wanted to do that," she admitted nervously.

"I probably don't," he agreed. "Why don't you tell me?"

Her cheeks only somehow got redder before she whispered, "since middle school."

He felt like he had just been sucker punched in the gut.

"W-wai-what?" He stuttered, blinking hard.

"You really didn't know," she asked, blushing even harder. "Inuyasha, I've had a crush on you for years…"

It felt like his brain stopped functioning. How had he never known? How had never suspected?

Wait a second…

"You did try to kiss me in middle school!" He blurted out, the wheels in his head suddenly turning a mile a minute as he began to connect the dots of his past.

She nodded her head, averting her eyes to the side.

"Yeah. You and Kagome were fighting at the time. She wanted to go to the dance and you didn't, and you were complaining about it…"

"So I wasn't crazy!"

"No," she replied, looking away. "It…it wasn't my proudest moment. I never should have…but I just liked you so much but you didn't see me and…"

"Hey…it's ok," he reassured her as she began to spiral. "It's all in the past now. Kagome and I haven't been together for years. Don't worry about it," he soothed, and she nodded her head. It should bother him. He knew it should…and maybe it did bother a small piece of him…but this was in the past. They were no more than fourteen, and kids did stupid shit all the time.

He wasn't about to let the impulsive mistakes of a a girl who couldn't even _drive_ yet affect his view of the woman who stood before him now.

"Listen…why don't you let me get this banner up, and then why don't we get outta here? Sound good?"

"Yeah."

* * *

Inuyasha pushed his empty plate to the side, taking a sip of his beer as he waited for Kikyo to return from the bathroom. Their date had been going pretty well so far. The conversation had been flowing smoothly, and Kikyo was very interested in hearing about his life and learning more about him…and he felt the same way about her.

It had been years since he had seen her regularly, outside of church, of course, and it was kinda nice. Like catching up with a friend, almost.

But he knew that the point of a date wasn't to catch up. It was to see if you were compatible and if you wanted to explore a relationship with the other person.

So far, he had to admit that he wasn't completely opposed to the idea.

Kikyo was smart, loved children, and was sweet and understanding…not to mention very attractive.

He was curious to see where this would lead.

Kikyo slid back into their booth across from him, greeting him with sparkling eyes and a cherry red smile.

"So I was thinking," she began, drumming her fingertips excitedly on the table top. "We should play a drinking game."

Inuyasha arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms on the table top as he leaned forward, intrigued.

"Yeah?"

"Why not? It will be fun! Come on Yash!"

His spine stiffened at the name and his expression must have betrayed his feelings.

"I…Oh…Inuyasha, I'm sorry. I didn't mean anything by it…" she apologized, looking down at her hands.

"It's fine," he internally grimaced. "Yeah. Sure. Let's play a game. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, this is a date," she began, pausing nervously to see if he would refute her assumption. When he didn't, she continued. "So…I was thinking we could play that drinking game in Game of Thrones. You know. Tyrion's game."

"Remind me of the rules," he grinned, placing his hands palm up on the table.

"I make a statement I think is true about you. If I'm right, you drink and I get to make another statement. If I'm wrong, I drink and you have to ask me a question," she explained, placing her hands into his.

"Sounds dangerous," he purred, his thumbs rubbing her knuckles. "Who asks first?"

"Is that a yes then?"

"Absolutely," he smirked, and she beamed back at him.

"Alright…how about I start us off? Your favorite color is red."

"That's an easy one," he grinned as he let go of her hand, taking a sip of his beer.

"I had to start off easy," she teased. "I need to get you drunk enough before I can start asking the fun questions."

"You have fun questions in mind?"

"Of course I do," she smirked back. "Alright…let's see…You prefer beer over wine."

He took another sip.

"That doesn't mean I won't drink wine though," he clarified.

"How about you like whisky more than bourbon?"

He drank again.

"Are all of your questions going to be about drinking?"

"I told you - I have to work up to the fun ones," she giggled. "Alright…let's see here…" she thought aloud, tilting her head to the side. "You've never done recreational drugs."

He drank again. And again. And again until he was done with his beer. Kikyo either knew him a lot better than he thought she had, or he was just really easy to read.

"Let me get you another one," she laughed, sliding out of the booth and going up to the bar.

As soon as she left, the door opened and a small group of women walked in briefly gaining his attention. He could easily see them from his vantage point, but his nose told him he should pay a bit more attention to them than he was originally going to.

They were all Kagome's friends…and in the middle of the small group, stood Kagome herself.

His heart started racing and his palms became sweaty. Why the _hell_ was she here? She knew he was going out with Kikyo tonight. Did she _have_ to come here with her friends _now_? He gripped the table harder, as they made their way to a booth a few over from theirs, and he noticed she smelled nervous even if she didn't look it.

Did she not want to be here?

Did they drag her along?

That…he wasn't sure if that made it better or worse.

"I'm back," Kikyo grinned, sitting down across from him. "Now…where were we…Oh right! You picked me those beautiful flowers earlier from your ranch," she said, slowly drawing him back to the here and now, and he drank again.

"Let's see…" she pondered aloud before her cheeks flushed. "Kagome was your first kiss."

"Everyone knew that," he groaned, drinking again.

"Ok…I'll try and make it a bit more challenging now then," she grinned mischievously. "You never had sex with her…but you wanted to."

His eyes widened, his mouth opening in shock. He hesitated, not sure he wanted her to know before he internally swore and drank again.

"I knew it!" she laughed, clapping her hands in delight. "Ok…how about this…You like to be the dominant one in the bedroom?"

"Were these the fun questions you were talking about earlier," he grumbled, taking another sip as his cheeks flushed.

"Oh I'm just getting started!" she cackled. "You haven't had sex in over three months."

God damnit…he didn't want to admit that either!

He drank again, movement out of the corner of his eye catching his attention…and his wandering eyes caught Kikyo's. Kagome had stood up from the booth with her friends and had gone up to the bar, placing an order for who only knows what.

Probably some foo foo drink from _California_.

He probably drank more than he should have that time, and slammed his glass down a little harder than intended. The noise made Kikyo jump and Kagome turned around, her eyes widening when she saw them before lowering in shame as she turned back to the bar.

He turned his attention back to Kikyo, and saw her looking nervously at him before she tried to hide her feelings.

"Maybe we should stop playing," she whispered, looking down at her hands. "It's getting kinda late, right? And graduation is tomorrow—"

" —Ask me another one."

"Inuyasha…" she sighed. "You aren't over her, are you?"

"Drink." he replied, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What?" she replied, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"I said drink," he repeated. "Those are the rules. You made a false statement about me, so now you gotta drink."

"You're sweet, but we don't have to do this," she whispered, worrying the thin, gold bangle on her wrist, twisting it around and rubbing her fingers over the metal.

He clicked his tongue and stood up from his spot, sliding into the booth next to her.

"Inuyasha…what are you—"

He didn't let her finish, as he cupped her face and turned it towards him, leaning down to kiss her deeply, passionately. His teeth gently nipped kikyo's bottom lip, and he felt her arms wrap around his neck pulling him closer. A growl rumbled out from his chest, pleased with her response and his tongue prodded her lips, asking her for entrance.

Kikyo needed to be convinced he was over Kagome, right? That he didn't want her anymore. That he didn't still think about her. That he didn't still want her. Dream of her. Wonder how Kagome was doing in her new _perfect_ life without him.

That he had moved on.

 _Was_ moving on.

Kagome was his past and he needed to focus on the future.

He had to.

He had to focus on a future without Kagome…because she didn't need him. And he didn't need her.

Not anymore.

Not in a long time.

He tried to pour all of those feelings into their kiss, and rejoiced when Kikyo parted her lips, granting him the permission he sought. He let out a low moan as their tongues touched, hers slipping into his mouth to explore his sharp fangs. He pulled her closer, sliding his fingers into her hair at the nape of her neck as their kiss continued for a few more minutes, electrifying him to the point where he needed to push away before he gave Kikyo (and everyone else in the bar for that matter) a show he wasn't prepared for.

He leaned his head to hers, panting, pleased that she was doing this same.

"I said drink."

* * *

A/N: To those of you who nominated this piece for best AU AND Best Angst…THANK YOU! I love and appreciate you!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 8

His tongue felt fuzzy and it was far too bright in the room. A pounding headache drilled through his skull, and he wanted to just roll over and die.

Fuck…what had he done last night?

He wanted to try and remember, but his splitting headache was making that far too difficult right now. God damn! Who the hell was turning on a blender at this ungodly hour?

What time was it anyways?

He rolled over with a groan and just barely pried open an eye to grab his phone and wake it up.

_9:00 am_

Why did he feel like he was running late?

Something in the back of his head told him he needed to get up.

Right now.

Wait.

_FUCK!_

_Souta's graduation!_

Inuyasha pushed himself out of bed and stumbled around his room, rummaging through drawers to find a nicer pair of his jeans and a button down, white tank top, and undergarments. He rushed to the bathroom, turning on the water and jumping in…even though the water was still freezing.

He was almost worried his balls would never recover from the shock factor, but he needed to be a man and suck it up.

In and out.

That was the goal so he wouldn't smell like whatever the _fuck_ he smelled like. He gave himself a quick once over with soap, only hitting all of the necessary areas before he was throwing the shower curtain open and tripping over the bathmat. His head smacked into the mirror over the sink across from the tub, and he let out an embarrassing whimper.

_God dammit all to hell!_

When the _fuck_ had the bathmat bunched up?!

_Fuck!_

His head was already throbbing. He didn't need this shit too.

Inuyasha placed his hands on either side of the sink, trying to take deep, calming breaths and not tear the bathroom to shreds. Ma would never forgive him. And then he'd be down a bathroom.

Showering out back in the open wasn't exactly something he wanted to do.

Then again…he wouldn't mind it if he had an appreciative audience…Someone with black hair and stormy, blue grey eyes…

His eyes widened. Where the hell had _that_ come from.

He didn't have time to contemplate it. He needed to down half the bottle of Advil in the medicine cabinet and like, four god damn gallons of water. Why the _hell_ did he drink as much as he did yesterday? He remembered playing the drinking game with Kikyo, but that alone shouldn't have caused this.

Fuck, did it even matter right now?

He pulled the bottle of pills out of the medicine cabinet, opening the top and popping a few into his hand before throwing them back and swallowing. He did his best to towel off, shave, and get ready before running down the stairs.

Coffee. He needed coffee.

And all the goddamn water in the fucking kitchen.

"Well!" his mother greeted, seeing him enter the kitchen like a bull in a china cabinet. "Would ya look who's finally awake! I take it you had a _grand_ ol' time last night!"

"Great time," he groaned, looking for a coffee mug and she moved to stand in front of the coffee pot.

"Oh no young man…You _better_ not be thinking about getting coffee…I _know_ you know better than that…"

She wasn't…oh you had to be fucking _kidding_ right now.

"Ma…I ain't seventeen anymore."

"No…but you sure as hell act like it! Do you know the kinda scare I had last night? Seeing Kagome dragging your drunk ass home?"

That gave him pause. Kagome? Why the hell did she take him home? She was out with her friends. He was out with Kikyo…Come to think of it…How the hell _did_ he get home last night? It hurt too much to think about that right now.

God fucking _damnit_ he needed some _godamn coffee!_

"Ma, I don't have time for this," he rumbled.

"And you do _not_ use that tone with me!" his mother scolded, crossing her arms over her chest, and he heard his father's near silent chuckle come from outside.

"I'm sorry Ma," he ground out through his teeth, "but I have a really bad hangover and I really need some coffee before I go to Souta's graduation.

His mother arched her brow and picked up the coffee pot, pouring the last little bit down the sink, and he paled.

"If you're going to behave like a delinquent, then you can suffer through the consequences of your actions. Maybe you'll learn now since I clearly failed to raise you right!"

She was digging in deep today huh?

"I cannot _wait_ until I'm done building my damn house so I can move outta here!" he snapped, a low growl rumbled out from his chest, and his mother sent him out to the front porch, yelling at him about manners and respect and he honestly stopped paying attention, the sheer volume of her anger only making his ears ring. His headache wasn't any better and he didn't get his fucking coffee.

Fucking _fantastic._

He slumped down into a chair next to his father who only smirked at him, holding out his coffee cup.

He glanced at it wide eyed before grabbing it and downing the remaining coffee in a few deep gulps.

"Thanks Pops," he smiled weakly, handing the cup back to him.

"You're welcome," he replied, a smirk still tugging the corner of his lips. "I take it you had fun last night?"

"I'm sure I did - I just can't seem to remember how much fun and what kind right now."

"If you can't remember, maybe you had too _much_ fun."

"Not you too," he groaned.

"Nah," he chuckled, "I think your mother already did a fine job. And…don't tell her…but I'm not upset. Disappointed that you mighta been a little reckless…but you're a hardworking man, son. You're allowed to blow off a little steam every now and then. I'm just surprised ya did it on your date."

"It was Kikyo's idea," he groaned, resting his head in his hands. "She wanted to play a drinking game."

"Huh. Liking the girl more and more. Just don't tell your mother. She wouldn't approve."

"And she's all for this…I know."

His mother had been _ecstatic_ when she had first heard that he and Kikyo were talking. She loved her for reasons he didn't quite get. Not that there was anything _wrong_ with Kikyo, but she hadn't reacted this way about one of his prospects since…not since Kagome.

His ears swiveled towards the road as both men heard a car approach, and his father stood with a groan, patting his son on the back.

"Don't get into too much trouble today, ok? I can't take another night of calming your mother…No matter how sexy she gets when she's angry."

" _Pops!"_

"Have fun now!" he chuckled, going back inside and Inuyasha sighed as the car pulled up. Kagome was in the driver's seat, her mother next to her.

That put Souta in the back with him.

Great. The back.

This would be fun.

He opened the door and slid in, trying to look cheery, but he wasn't quite sure he hit the mark.

"Morning sunshine," Kagome greeted chipperly as he buckled himself in, glaring at her. "Don't give me that look," she chided, picking up a thermos from the cup holder and handing it back to him. "I brought you something."

He raised a brow in question before opening the canister and groaned as the sweet…or rather bitter…smell of coffee floated up to his nostrils. He inhaled deeply, sighing.

"I love you…Thank you."

He didn't realize what he had said and who he had said it to until after he had drank some of his sweet, sweet coffee and he saw Souta giving him a bewildered look.

"I—"

"—Don't worry about it. I know what you mean," Kagome smiled weakly, turning around to regard him with a soft look in her eyes. "You had a hell of a night and I figured you might need it. Your mother wasn't thrilled when we came home."

"She wasn't that thrilled this morning either," he muttered, slumping down in his seat, and he heard Kagome giggle…the sound and her gesture tugging at his heart strings, drawing an unbidden whimper from his throat.

Fuck. Today was going to be a hell of a day.

* * *

Why had he said that?

Fucking fuckety _FUCK_!

He didn't even _love_ her anymore, but it had flowed off of his tongue so easily. Like an unchecked habit.

The rest of the car ride had been painfully awkward despite Kagome's mother doing her best to diffuse the tension. Between his hangover and that hell of a blunder, his day was off to a great start.

And he still couldn't remember much of the night before.

He remembered a lot of making out with Kikyo…

Maybe some pool?

But nothing more concrete than that.

Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome as they sat in the auditorium, listening to their old principal give some long, boring speech about the future and starting a new chapter of their lives and blah, blah, blah. He was pretty sure the guy used the same damn speech at _their_ graduation.

He couldn't have mixed it up a little, could he?

"So what exactly happened last night," he whispered nervously, and she tilted her head to the side towards him.

"You mean you don't remember the hot, _hot_ sex we had?" she whispered back, bewildered, and his brain completely shut down as his throat went dry.

…They… _What?!_

"We…I…"

How the _hell_ had that happened?

The fifteen year old in him was snarling that he had gotten so drunk that he couldn't remember his deepest teenage fantasy becoming a reality. She had been the star of his every "dirty" dream. For years she was the woman he had imagined touching…caressing…fucking…making love to…He had imagined her screaming his name in pleasure as their bodies slid together so many times…but he couldn't remember it when it actually fucking happened _for real_?

Yeah. The teenager in him was _beyond_ pissed.

The adult in him, however, was mortified that he would do something so _completely_ and _utterly_ stupid. This woman had destroyed him. Left him hollow and broken and miserable for years. She had left a shirt in his room unintentionally after they broke up…he was ashamed to admit that he had clung to it at night for months after until her scent finally disappeared and he tucked it into a box under his bed.

A box of Kagome. Photos and ticket stubs and little things that reminded him of her had been abandoned there, left to rot away and forever be forgotten.

What really puzzled him was the lack of "sex" smell when he had woken up. Sure, he smelled like shit…but shouldn't he have still smelled some trace of… _that_ on him?

"I'm kidding," she snickered, and he relaxed a little…but his heart still grew oddly heavy and bitter.

"That wasn't funny," he hissed, and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"No? You don't think so?"

"Not even a little. Can't you be serious for one goddamn minute?"

"I thought we were trying to be civil?"

"Yet you're the one jerking me around!"

Kagome took a deep, calming breath before fixing him with a hard look.

"You want to have at it again? Fine. We can do it again. But not here, and not now.

No. I _don't_ know what you did last night.

I just know that you and Kikyo were in no shape to be driving so I left the girls to take both of your sorry asses home so you wouldn't crash and die. So _you're welcome_ ," she snapped.

His jaw twitched before he forced himself to grind out a barely audible thank you through clenched teeth.

They sat through the majority of the ceremony in silence…but he didn't need to talk to her to know what she was feeling. He could feel and smell the pain and frustration and guilt radiating off of her in nearly tangible waves. He felt this old, long forgotten, yet familiar desire to comfort her and apologize bubble up from the pit of his gut…but what the hell did he have to apologize for? She was the one fucking with him!

She was always the one toying with him like he didn't _fucking_ matter…

"Do you still have a hangover," he heard Kagome whisper, and he told her he did. He watched her silently reach into her purse, taking out a small reusable bottle of water and a ziplock baggie with a handful of pills.

"Here," she said handing them to him, and he felt his heart ache again as he accepted her peace offering.

"Thanks," he whispered, throwing some of the pills back before handing everything to her.

"Keep it for a while," she advised, nodding towards the water bottle. "You need to re-hydrate. I brought it for you anyways."

"Ok," he smiled wanly, and she weakly returned it.

Soon he heard the closing music start to play and the graduates walked back down the aisle, ready to meet their family outside of the auditorium in the warm June sunshine.

He stood, following Kagome and her mother outside to find Souta, where they all shared rounds of hugs and 'congratulations', and 'we're so proud of you's.

Inuyasha happily volunteered to take photos of the small family, a strangely content, honored, almost paternal feeling washing over him as he did.

"Inuyasha dear, why don't you come take my place? You should be in a few photos too."

He was about to refuse, but thought better of it. Mrs. Higurashi wanted him in a few photos. He couldn't say no to her…so instead he swallowed, nodded, and took her place to the left of Souta. His fingers accidentally grazed Kagome's arm as he wrapped his around the young man's shoulders, and he noticed her straighten in surprise, clearly restraining herself from shooting him a questioning look. Instead, she moved her fingers from Souta's back to his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

He could feel the heat from her skin radiating through his shirt, burning him. Scorching everywhere she touched.

He didn't know why…or what the hell came over him, but his hand left Souta's back to give her arm a light squeeze, and her scent changed.

Remorse.

His eyes flitted to her face and he was surprised to see her looking at him, her eyes pained.

What he wouldn't give to ask her what she was thinking now…What he wouldn't give to comfort her…

His breath caught in his throat.

No.

He didn't care.

He just had to last the week, then she was gone. Off to her life in _California_ , just the way she wanted it.

Unless her boss let her stay. Which was _highly_ unlikely.

"Inuyasha…Kagome…Smile! It's a happy day," Mrs. Higurashi encouraged, and he watched Kagome turn away from him, shooting the older woman a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

He followed her lead, and a few minutes later, they were done.

A friend called out to Souta, drawing his attention from his family, and one of the teachers came over to speak to the proud mother, leaving him alone with Kagome.

He felt the heat of her eyes on him and he awkwardly glanced at her again, confirming his suspicions.

"Yeah?" He asked a bit more roughly than he intended, and Kagome snapped her attention away from him.

"Nothing."

"I don't think ya'd be looking at me like that if it were just 'nothing', Kagome."

She turned to regard him again, her lips pressing into a thin line as she told him, "Honestly? When you shave, you just look more… _you_. The you that I remember, at least. It just…everything is taking me back to _our_ graduation day. "

He remembered it well. It marked the beginning of the end. One last summer together.

"Huh," he muttered, and she rolled her eyes.

"You and your damn 'huh's."

"What…you don't like 'em?"

"I never have."

"Huh," he smirked, doing it intentionally this time, and a small smile graced her lips before she turned her attention elsewhere. "I was just thinking that maybe I should grow it back out if that's what this makes you think of," he explained rubbing his chin, unsure of why he felt the need to.

"You look handsome either way, Inuyasha," she disagreed. "You always have. You should do what makes you happy. You don't look like a boy if that's what you're worried about. I don't think you could. I was just…I guess I was just feeling nostalgic."

"So…I look like a man now, huh? A _handsome_ man?" He drawled, and she rolled her eyes again.

"Don't start."

"I didn't. You did. You started this whole conversation about my facial hair."

"And if I would have known that it would lead to _this_ I would have kept it to myself."

"Mhm…" he agreed. "Maybe. But you didn't. And now I know you still think I'm _handsome._ Gotta say, it's kinda nice knowing you still think I'm attractive after all these years."

"I've always been attracted to you, Inuyasha…but you've always known that, haven't you?"

Yeah. But that hadn't been enough, had it? In the end, she still left him. Why hadn't he been enough? What was he lacking that made him not _good enough_? What was so wrong about him that…that she didn't want to be with him anymore? He had told her he'd wait…and he had fucking meant it! It didn't matter how long it took. He'd still be here for her.

That was part of the problem, wasn't it?

She never had any intention of coming back.

Even for him…the man she _"loved"_.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome whispered, pulling him away from the dark turn his thoughts had taken. "What's wrong."

"Nothing," he growled, startling her, and she straightened, confused but prepared to fight him again.

"Inuyasha!" a light, airy, feminine voice called out, and he watched Kagome's face morph into a mask of indifference as Kikyo waved.

"You should go to her," she encouraged.

"Kagome…"

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo called again, and Kagome waved him off, leaving him to stand by her mother and join in the conversation with their former teacher. He knew a dismissal when he heard one.

He spun around on his heel and greeted Kikyo, smiling as she shyly took his hands.

"The set up looked great…Thank you again for all of your help."

"It was my pleasure," he replied, trying to smile, but his conversation with Kagome and his previous dark thoughts hadn't quite loosened their grip over him yet.

"Listen…last night…"

"Was fun?" he supplied, and her smile only brightened.

"It was," she agreed. "I'm sorry for making you drink so much though…I didn't mean to let things get that far out of hand."

"It's ok…I'm still here ain't I? Somea last night is a little hazy still…but I'm glad you're ok."

"Me too. Glad you're ok, I mean. And that I'm ok," she blushed. "I guess we have Kagome to thank for that…"

"So I'm told," he mumbled. Damn. He wished he could remember what happened.

"We were that bad, huh?"

He could only shrug. "I guess it's been awhile since I drank that much," he admitted.

"I wasn't very nice to you during that game. I learned a lot of interesting things about you though…"

His eyes widened nervously.

"What kinda stuff."

Kikyo's face turned bright red as she stood up on her tiptoes to whisper into his ear. "Little things…like your favorite position for sex. Maybe we can try it out soon?"

He swore he turned bright red as she leaned in to kiss him, and he heard Souta catcall in the background.

"Damn!"

He smirked when the boy yelped. He couldn't confirm it…but he was pretty sure Kagome had smacked him upside the head.

She was jealous.

He'd be sure to give her something to be jealous over then…and he deepened the kiss, pulling Kikyo closer and sliding his hand into her hair. When they parted after several long minutes, her lips were swollen red, her pupils dilated, and her hair only slightly mussed up.

"I gotta go," he murmured apologetically, and she swallowed, nodding. "Call me later when you have a minute? Maybe we can set up another date…to try out that thing you talked about."

"Yeah…ok…"

* * *

A/N: To those of you who nominated this piece for best AU AND Best Angst…THANK YOU! I love and appreciate you!


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe. The rest is mine.

* * *

"Putt putt is just as good as bowling," Souta reassured everyone as they left the bowling alley, all the lanes already taken.

"You sure kid?" Inuyasha pressed. "We could come back later or another day."

Souta shot him a look to say that he didn't think they'd make it to another outing. When Inuyasha returned to the Higurashis, Kagome radiated with irritation and jealousy. She wouldn't look at him the whole way to the diner, and hardly spoke more than a few words to him.

Guess it was different knowing he was dating, and seeing him kiss someone else while sober.

God it was so damn satisfying seeing her upset over this. Even though she had no damn right to be upset…and they both knew it.

"Nonsense, we're all here now…and Souta graduated _today_. We should do something as a family today," Mrs. Higurashi insisted, rubbing his arm. Hearing her call him family, even though he would never _really_ be family, was nice. It warmed his heart.

He glanced over to Kagome and noticed that she was pointedly looking anywhere but at him.

"I guess we're heading to putt putt then," he replied, keeping his eyes on Kagome. "Shouldn't take too long anyways," he continued, trying to reassure her, and that made her look up at him, glaring.

"Do you have some exciting plans tonight you're looking forward to?"

"Not that the moment…but that could always change."

She was practically bristling. _Fuck_ he loved it! He loved knowing that she was jealous of Kikyo. It made him feel like there was a part of her that wished she had never ended things. That she still wanted him. Even if she didn't.

Even if…even if he didn't.

Because he didn't still want her. Not really. Not like that. Not in his life…But…they needed to talk about it. She couldn't keep acting this way - it wasn't fair to Souta.

"Why don't you two go on in," Inuyasha encouraged when they got they had made their way to the indoor, space themed putt putt establishment. "We will catch up in a second," he reassured Souta and Mrs. Higurashi, grabbing Kagome's hand and pulling her around to the side of the building, away from prying eyes and ears.

"Inuyasha, what are you doing," she hissed, and he just smirked back at her.

"You're jealous," he stated, practically preening.

"What?" she replied, blinking hard as if she had misheard him.

"You. Are. Jealous," he repeated, and she furrowed her brow in confusion.

"What are you talking about? Jealous of what?"

"Kikyo."

"Why would I be jealous of her?"

"Because I kissed her," he replied, shooting her a knowing look before sighing. "I thought we talked about this…"

"We did. And I'm not. I'm happy for you. You seem happy with her," she whispered and he blinked hard. This wasn't what he was expecting. Her words were going against everything his nose and eyes had been telling him.

"I…am." He thought he was, at least…It was hard to say. He wasn't sure he really knew what happy meant anymore. He had been happy with Kagome…but he had never felt that way again. Was it even happiness? Did he even know what that felt like anymore?

"Good," she smiled weakly, cupping his cheek. "That's all I've ever wanted for you."

"I…"

He didn't know how he felt about that. Her jealousy he enjoyed. He knew how to process that. This…this he didn't know what to do with. He took a subtle, tentative sniff and was baffled when he couldn't detect any trace of her lying to him.

What had she been jealous about then?

"Why?"

She raised both of her eyebrows at his question, clearly surprised.

"What do you mean why?"

"Why do you want me to be happy? You haven't wanted to see me in seven years. Why do you care if I'm happy or not?"

She snatched her hand away from him, looking like he had just slapped her.

"I…" she began, swallowing hard. "I thought I was doing the right thing. For both of us. At first it was just…the thought of seeing you again hurt. Everything was too raw…What I did to you," she shook her head, unable to look him in the eyes. "Then too much time had passed, and I didn't know what I would say to you even if I did see you. I didn't know if there was anything left _to_ say…and I thought I would just be hurting both of us again."

"And you wouldn't have seen me this time if your car hadn't broken down."

"Not intentionally…No…But that doesn't mean that I don't care about your happiness Inuyasha," she insisted, her voice firm. "I'll always care about you, and I'll always want you to be happy."

"You shouldn't have left then."

She looked away from him, unable to meet his eyes.

"You know I had to…"

"You didn't though! You didn't need that fancy ass degree to do what you're doing. You could have done it all from here! We have a damn paper, don't we?"

"That's part of the problem, Inuyasha…you never could see beyond this little town."

"And that's bad how?"

"There's more out there than this! And I needed to see it before I settled down to become _Mrs. Takahashi_ , and Papa and Gramps…" she trailed off, shaking her head, sighing. "Why is it so hard to believe that I still care about you? Maybe we don't have what we used to have, but I still care about you, Inuyasha. You still mean the world to me. You're the love of my life."

His eyes scanned her face - his breath catching in his throat.

_You're._

You. _Are._

 _Are._ Not _were_. Not past tense.

No. That's fucking _present_ tense.

He didn't think she meant to say that. It probably wasn't even true…But…That didn't keep his heart from betraying him and aching and wishing it were.

How fucking pathetic was that?

He closed his eyes, sighing.

He wasn't doing this again…and he wasn't going to pretend that it was a possibility to reclaim what they had.

"Ok," he whispered. "You too, you know."

"Me too what?"

"The love of my life, Kagome. You always were."

* * *

Putt putt had been going well enough so far. After their little chat, they rejoined her mother and brother, grabbing their putters and balls. Kagome volunteered to keep score, and no one was going to fight her for it.

Souta did remarkably well, getting the ball into the hole on par or under par almost every time. Mrs. Higurashi took her time, trying to make each move count, whereas Kagome was all over the place, almost as if she was intentionally trying to lose. He on the other hand, was failing miserably because she was constantly distracting him.

Not intentionally…but she was. She was all smiles and sparkling eyes and sweet melodic laughter and it was…it was just fucking _distracting as shit, ok?_

All it meant was that as they started the final hole, Souta was probably going to win…even though it was a hard last hole. You had to somehow maneuver your ball through an asteroid field before sinking it into a "black hole" on top of a small hill.

The kid made it in at par, and he swore that Souta had been here more than a few times to have succeeded so easily. During his turn however, he heard Mrs. Higurashi whisper to her daughter that the owner of the establishment, Hojo, had been staring at her since they had arrived. Hojo had moved here a few years back, for reasons he honestly didn't give a shit about.

"You should talk to him before we leave," she whispered to her daughter as Inuyasha began to line himself up, doing a few test swings with his putter. "Maybe give him your number?"

He didn't mean to do it. He really hadn't…but before he could find his self-control, he was seeing red and he had slammed his putter into the ball, sending it hurtling across the course and lodging itself in the wall.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome gasped, her eyes wide as he dropped the putter.

All he could do was blink in response as what he had done slowly sank in.

Oh…Oh shit…Oh _fuck!_

"Inuyasha, what the hell!" she snapped, and he nervously turned to face her, her tone already making him defensive. "It's called Putt Putt for a reason! You're supposed to tap it not hit it to the damn moon!"

"First of all, the moon is back that way," he began, pointing in the opposite direction of where he had hit the ball, towards the moon themed hole. "Second, I don't know what you're talking about - that was me tapping it, woman!" he continued indignantly, trying to fight off the blush staining his cheeks from embarrassment.

"The hole in the wall would disagree! Apparently you wouldn't know how to tap something if your life depended on it!"

"Yeah? Well I did a great job up until now, didn't I?"

"Hardly! Your record begs to differ," she scoffed, shaking the scorecard.

"My 'record' is fine! It's no worse than yours!"

"Ha! I'm definitely doing better than you, buddy," she countered as Souta's snickers slowly gained volume until he was doubled over, howling. The pair turned to look at him, as Mrs. Higurashi covered her mouth with her hands, completely mortified by the duo. It was only then that they realized that everyone there had stopped to stare at them. Everyone in the whole town would hear about this before dinner.

Perfect. Just _fucking_ perfect.

He blamed Hojo. Fucker just couldn't keep his eyes to himself, could he?

"Do you two even realize what you're saying?" the older woman whispered, frazzled, and the pair blinked hard before realization slowly washed over them. Kagome slowly turned bright red while he just stood there and smirked.

He hadn't, but he did now…and _his_ "record" wasn't half bad.

"I think we should call this a day," Kagome groaned, rubbing her temples, and everyone agreed, returning their gear to the front desk where he apologized and promised to come back the next day and fix the damage.

Just because he didn't like Hojo didn't mean he wasn't a _little_ remorseful for what he had done. He was pretty sure his mother would make him anyways.

As they were leaving, he couldn't help himself, however.

"You know Kagome, I've never had any complaints about my _tapping_ skills…"

"Yeah? Well there's a first for everything."

He was almost afraid he'd have to carry Souta to the car.

He did walk with them back to where they parked, but declined their earlier invitation to drop him off at the auto shop to pick up the sedan.

"I think I'm just gonna walk. It's nice out," he reassured them, giving Souta a hug before whispering into his ear that he had hidden a case of beer in the stable for him. The boy immediately hugged him that much harder, voicing his thanks and his promise to be careful sneaking it out. No one wanted to get in trouble with their respective mothers…but it was tradition to go with your friend group into the woods and drink yourself stupid the night of graduation. He didn't want Souta to have to mooch off of others, and he would have plenty to share with a case. Maybe even a few leftover?

Eh. Who was he kidding.

It wouldn't make it to sunrise.

He had gotten so shitfaced with Kagome the day they graduated…He hoped Souta wouldn't do anything as stupid as them. After they left their friends, he and Kagome had gone to the cliffs drunk off their asses and he stripped down to their underwear. He picked her up, and ran as fast as he could, jumping off the edge and diving into the lake below.

It had been exhilarating…and incredibly _stupid_. They could have died, but when you're drunk off your ass…

That night had been amazing though. When they resurfaced, letting out hollers and whoops of joy, he remembered taking her face between his hands and kissing her deeply. Passionately. To the point where they both struggled to breathe.

Their hands glided over their skin…heat radiating off of their palms as they explored the familiar terrain of their partner. He remembered her legs wrapping around his hips, pulling him a bit further down into the water, and his ears folded down flat, trying to stay dry. Eventually, under the light of the moon, they decided to return to shore. He could still vividly remember her rising out of the water like some damn Goddess. Her black hair curled around her shoulders in long tendrils. Her white, lacy undergarments left nothing to the imagination, and he remembered watching the sway of her hips as she, somehow, gracefully rose from the water and walked onto the shore.

He stared at her for a moment when she turned around. Her nipples had pebbled into hard peaks, and he remembered watching a bead of water roll down from her shoulder to the valley between her breasts…and another from the hem of her bra down the planes of her stomach to the top of her panties. He could distinctly see the shape of her sex through the soaked white fabric…and that was all it took before he was on her, pulling her down.

Their mouths were hot, their tongues battling each other. Their teeth scraping against their flesh. His hands pulled her breasts free from the confines of her wet bra so he could taste her wet skin. His fang drew delicate circles around her hardened tips, his tongue quickly soothing its path. Her hands slipped below the waistband of his underwear to tug his hardened length as his fingers pulled the crotch of hers to the side to find her bundle of nerves. They groaned together in need, their hands working together in unison. He peppered kisses and nips across her chest as their hands continued to pull each other closer and closer to the nirvana he so desperately wanted them to achieve, but it wasn't enough. He stopped her, whimpering into the crook of her neck how he desperately wanted more than this. He wanted more than her hand or her mouth.

He wanted _her_. Wanted to be one with _her_ …had asked her if she were ready to go further…and to this day he swore she was going to say yes when he heard the irate sound of his brother yelling at him.

Fuck that hadn't been fun.

He dove down on top of Kagome to give her a chance to try and shrug back into her bra as Sesshomaru loomed closer. He yelled about how bad it reeked, and responsibility, and asked them what the hell they were thinking, and berated them about staying out so damn late (it was almost four in the goddamn morning!), and how he was being an irresponsible little _prick_! His mother was back home, worried sick out of her mind, and had sent both him and his father to go look for him.

Yeah…that night had landed him in a world of trouble.

Somehow he doubted Souta would be as foolish though.

When he let go of Souta, he hugged Mrs. Higurashi, thanking her for her including him in all of the fun, and he parted by telling her he'd see her the next day, bright and early, as usual.

That left Kagome…

He was at a loss. Did he hug her? Shake her hand?

What?

"Inuyasha…can I talk to you for a second before you go?"

"Yeah…" he replied awkwardly, letting her take his hand and pull him away from her family and over a few cars.

He felt apprehension pull in the pit of his stomach when she decided they were far enough away, stopping to look him in the eye. He watched her fists clench and unclench at her sides as she seemed to try and figure out what the hell she wanted to tell him.

"Inuyasha," she finally began, "I wanted to tell you this at some point today, but I never really found a good opportunity for it. I…do you remember how I told you I was asking my boss if I could work from here for a while?"

"Yeah," he nodded, crossing his arms over his chest in an attempt to ignore the twisting in the pit of his stomach.

"Well…I can stay for three months. Provided I can keep up with my workload from them. Summer is the slow season with double issues and…"

…and he stopped paying attention as she continued to ramble. She was staying? Or at least coming back for a little bit? He knew he could handle a few weeks, but three months?

Where the hell did she work that would let her stay here for _three months_? In a different _time zone_ no less! He felt lightheaded. Were his ears ringing? He thought his ears might have been ringing.

"…so I wanted to know if we should work out a schedule or something? If you wanted to avoid seeing me? I know you start in the morning - what time do you normally leave? Inuyasha? Are you listening to me?"

"Um…yeah," he breathed sighing, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Whatever you want."

"That's not what I'm asking, Inuyasha," she smiled weakly. "What do you want to do?"

She was leaving the decision completely up to him, huh? Letting him decide if he wanted to see her, or pretend she didn't exist?

Well…she hadn't existed for the last seven years. And they were barely civil as it was.

"I leave sometime around ten."

"Ok then," she nodded. "So…I guess unless I run into you as you're leaving, this is…This is goodbye?"

"Yeah…I think so," he replied slowly, disliking the bitter taste in his mouth - the awkwardness of the words felt coming off of his tongue.

"Ok then…" she repeated, not sure what to do with herself now, but he saw the look in her eyes. He knew she wanted to say something, but was holding herself back.

"What is it, Kagome," he gently prodded, and a lite blush dusted her cheeks. "What do you want to say?"

"I…Nothing, really. I just…" she sighed, pushing her hair behind her ears as she looked down at their feet before finally gaining the will to say what was on her mind. "I really am happy for you, you know. With Kikyo. Happy that you're happy. I really do want that for you, and even though she was never my favorite person—"

"—Why _didn't_ you like Kikyo?" he interrupted, and her brows rose in surprise.

"…Really?"

"Yeah. I mean, I never paid her much mind, but you…You never liked her. Could never figure it out."

"Because she was always trying to take you away from me," she smiled wryly.

"Huh?" he blinked. "I mean…I remember one time she tried to kiss me—"

"—She _what_?"

"Oh come on…" he sighed. Why couldn't they leave things on at least somewhat amicable terms? "Kagome, it was years ago and we ain't together anymore…"

"Oh I know," she ground out. "But why didn't you tell me?"

"Because _I_ freaked out on _her_ and she told me she _wasn't_ and… _Why_ does this even matter now?"

"You're right. It doesn't. She won in the end anyways, it would seem."

He _knew_ it! She _was_ jealous! She still wanted him!

Wait…He couldn't… _No_ \- she didn't. She was just acting this way because of their past. It was nothing more than a knee jerk reaction. Still…his felt his heart begging to believe it and for him to make it better somehow.

He subtly sniffed the air and looked around, and when he was sure no one else was there, he hooked a finger under her chin, tilting her face up as he leaned down to press another last kiss to her lips. It was sweet and chaste and lingering…and it made his heart ache that much more.

God this had been a mistake…It felt like every time he saw her, he was kissing her goodbye. Even if that wasn't true. Two out of three times wasn't a good record.

Fuck! What the hell was wrong with him?

Why couldn't he…Why was he acting like this?

Kissing Kikyo, kissing Kagome…This wasn't like him. He felt his mind and his heart fighting for control over his body and it left him doing stupid shit like this.

Why was he constantly needing to remind himself that he was over her? That she meant nothing to him anymore?

When he pulled away from her, he could smell the sadness and confusion in her sent as well as he could see it on her face.

"There. Now you're even," he explained, and she chuckled bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked away from him.

"Yeah…I guess we are."

"Yeah," he agreed, not sure what to do with the ache in his chest now. Guess it was a good thing he was walking. Some time and some air would do him some good. "You take care, Higurashi," he smiled weakly, and she looked back up at him and took his hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"You too, Inuyasha."

* * *

A/N:

Putt putt was my sad attempt at humor and inspired by and written for Clearwillow just like the rest of this damn story because it's an ode to Carra…let's be real guys. Let's just call it what it is and own this…


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 10

She'd been back for two weeks now, and had slowly settled into a routine of sorts. Inuyasha would show up around five in the morning, and stay until about ten. When she heard his family's sedan start up, she would put a pin in answering emails and placing phone calls and working on the next blog post to go downstairs and help out at the ranch.

No two days were really the same. Her tasks would vary between gardening in their "small" vegetable garden and taking care of the animals. Inuyasha seemed to be doing the majority of the "heavy lifting", keeping the fence around their property in good shape being his current project.

Still...despite intentionally trying to avoid him, she would be up at 4:30, stumbling down into the kitchen by 4:45 to have a pot of coffee ready for when he arrived fifteen minutes later. He had said he liked her coffee, and he was doing so much for them...It was the least she could do.

Then, earlier that week, she needed to do a piece on muffins. Four different recipes for blueberry muffins, comparing the process to each other, tips and tricks, and end results...It was a pain, and she ended up baking more than they could ever hope to eat. Rather than freeze them, she just put a bunch into a container and labeled it for him.

There was a symphony chocolate bar waiting for her the next day when she came downstairs.

She had thought it had been from her mother...But it wasn't. She almost cried when she saw it. He still remembered after all these years that her _favorite_ chocolate wasn't the traditional Hershey's...but their milk chocolate symphony bar.

As kids, they used to use them for s'mores in the summer, huddled together around the fire pit roasting marshmallows with her family as they told stories. Not even scary stories, though there were a fair number of those too. They just told stories they made up on the spot, sometimes making games out of it. Her favorite was the one where each person added on a few more words, each person helping to create a weird, hysterical story, unique in its absurdness and never again repeated.

When fall first began tinting the tips of the leaves with reds and yellows and oranges, they would gather around the fire pit with blankets and cups of warm cider. She used to love snuggling up with her father as a child, sharing her blanket with him...and then when she got older, she kicked Souta out from Inuyasha's as she began to feel herself developing a crush for him.

Not that Inuyasha complained, mind you. He was just as happy to boot Souta off to her grandfather and upgrade to her. She vividly remembered him taking her hand under the blanket for the first time, his small claws scraping against her skin as he nervously locked their fingers together. His cheeks were dusted red as he avoided looking at her, in case she would reject him. She hadn't though…She had just moved a little closer to him, silently reassuring him that she liked it.

Sure they had held hands before, but that was a different kind of hand holding, and they both knew it.

([Blanket Buddies](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/80995951))

"Kagome?" her mother greeted uncertainly as she entered the kitchen, her feet shuffling along the wooden floors. "I thought you'd be back in bed."

"I'm adjusting to the new schedule," she shrugged, pushing the brew button on the coffee maker.

"I see…" her mother smiled softly, heading to the refrigerator and opening the door. "Can I make you some breakfast since you're up? I'm thinking of cooking eggs again...We have a surplus right now."

"No...That's alright Mama," she declined. She wasn't going to risk running into Inuyasha, and breakfast meant that she absolutely would be. "Maybe I'll get assigned an egg salad article next," she joked lightly, trying to change the subject as her mother began pulling ingredients from the fridge. _Living Simply_ , a branch of _Gorgeous Gardens_ , was a home and gardening magazine with a branch in California. She had managed to get an internship while there in college, and somehow snag a full time position upon graduation. She _did_ enjoy working for them, but she would be lying if she said she didn't question if it was worth it.

"Oh my...I don't think I could survive four different kinds of egg salad."

"We'd be lucky if it were only four," she joked lightly, and her mother groaned.

"Well...I suppose we could send some home with Inuyasha. He seemed to enjoy those muffins you made him."

"Gave him."

"Gave him," her mother amended, a small smile tugging at her lips. "He already returned the container. I don't think they lasted three days."

"Well, I'm glad he liked them so much," she replied dismissively.

"Me too...we'd be drowning in them if it weren't for him."

They'd be drowning in more ways than one if it weren't for him.

She watched her mother pause in front of the window, looking out at the lightening sky.

"It looks like it should be a new moon tonight," she commented casually.

"I hadn't noticed," she lied.

Partially lied.

She had absently noticed a few days ago that the moon was waning...but she had been so busy she had forgotten about it.

Her mother shot her a knowing look, but didn't comment otherwise about it. They both knew why tonight was significant. It was the night Inuyasha became human. She had spent just about every new moon with him since the day he shared his big secret with her.

They were nine at the time, and he had asked their parents if she could sleep over. They were still children, so they had no issues at the time agreeing to it. When dinner was over and they were in their pajamas, Inuyasha grabbed her arm and led her outside, telling her he had a secret to share.

She was practically vibrating with excitement, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as the sun slowly set. She guessed any number of things, becoming increasingly more frustrated as he told her to just _wait._

Finally, as the last rays of sunlight disappeared behind the mountains and the sky was dark blue, she watched him change. His shoulder length, silver hair became midnight as his claws and ears disappeared. His beautiful golden eyes darkened to a brilliant taupe. She remembered taking his face between her hands and examining him closer, completely fascinated by what had happened.

She had heard of the "night of weakness" for half demons, but she had never seen it happen herself. Because he was only a half demon, he became human once a month. On the night of the new moon. It was still a highly guarded secret amongst the half demon community, the same as it had been hundreds of years ago. She couldn't blame them, given the fact that many still harbored deep seeded hatred towards them.

She had seen it first hand when the Takahashis had first moved here.

People had warmed to them over time, sure.

But back when he had shown her his greatest, most guarded secret…

That's when she knew that their bond ran deeper than best friends.

"Kagome?" her mother prodded gently, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright Sweetheart?"

Only then did she realize that she had been leaning against the kitchen counter with her arms crossed over her chest for a few minutes in complete silence.

"Yeah! Yeah...Sorry, Mama...I guess just got lost in my thoughts for a second."

"Anything you'd care to share?" she asked, popping two slices of bread into the toaster.

"No...I'm just...tired," she replied dismissively, and her mother shot her a knowing smile as a pair of headlights flashed in through the kitchen window.

Shit.

She had stayed down here far longer than she intended to.

"Are you sure you don't want to sit down for a few minutes with us?" her mother pressed, laying a hand on her shoulder as the sound of a car door shutting echoed in the distance.

"I shouldn't. He doesn't want to see me."

"But you want to see him," she pressed gently.

"I…"

Did she?

It hadn't gone well last time...but...she couldn't seem to stop thinking about him this trip. Maybe it was because he was being forced back into her life? Maybe it was something else. Maybe...maybe it was because deep down on the inside, even though they kept saying goodbye, she wasn't really ready to say goodbye...Not again...

"I don't know, Mama," she finally admitted, smoothing her hair away from her face. "I just know that I shouldn't be here right now."

"Why not? This is your home too you know. You can be here if you want to be."

"I know but...I need to finish editing a blog post."

Her mother didn't push...But Kagome knew she wanted to, if the way she pressed her lips together into a thin line was any indication of her thoughts.

Kagome quickly slipped out the kitchen and made her way up the stairs, her bare feet slapping against each step in her haste. She paused halfway when she heard the front door off to the right creak open. She felt her heart begin to pound in her chest, anxiousness settling into the pit of her stomach. Somehow, she managed to make herself move, running up the rest of the stairs. She knelt down into a crouch at the top, next to the table pushed against the banister with a glass vase and a bouquet of silk flowers.

She peered through the wooden dowels as Inuyasha walked through the entry. He raised his arms above his head, stretching, before lowering one to absently scratch at his back. The hem of his shirt rose, revealing a thin strip of his toned, tan abdomen. He looked... _exhausted_. His ears were droopy, and his eyes didn't have their typical sparkle to them.

He must be running himself ragged between helping them and also his father.

She felt guilt wash over herself as he made his way into the kitchen, warmly greeting her mother. She leaned to the left, watching the door slowly close behind himself. The smell of bacon frying wafted out as the door opened and closed, and the overwhelming urge to go down there and be with him clawed its way out from her chest and up her throat.

She hadn't realized how much she missed him.

The old him.

The way they were.

Before she had taken a pillow to them and smothered the life out of their relationship.

She silently shook her head and tried to push the ache back down and lock it away again. Tears began to well up in her eyes, blurring her vision. No. She wasn't going to cry. He could smell them a mile away, figuratively speaking, of course. What was the point of all of this if he knew she was here?

Besides - she had an article to write, and this...this was crazy. The way she was acting. She was all but spying on him in her own home. Maybe she needed to sleep more than she needed to get this article done.

Yes - that's what she needed to do. Go get some more sleep. Kagome nodded to herself, satisfied with her decision, and stood back up, completely unaware that her shoulder was now directly aligned with the edge of the table. As she rose, her shoulder roughly knocked into the table, jarring it. The immediate sound of glass shattering and of wood clattering made her blood run cold, and she slowly turned around, rubbing her shoulder as fear ran up her spine.

Oh fuck.

Oh... _fuck_!

_Fuck!_

When she stood up, bumping into the table _broke_ the _goddamn vase_.

God _damnit_!

There was no way they didn't hear that, but she still squatted down, trying to pick up the broken fragments of glass before they came to check on her. Her fingers were shaking as she began picking up the shards, trying to somehow clean up this whole mess before he arrived.

Her heart was racing, pounding in her throat as she tried to work quickly, but it was hard to see. The tears had come back with a vengeance and it was all she could do to keep them contained and pick up the glass. The sound of the kitchen door abruptly opening startled her despite knowing that it was only a matter of time, making a large piece slice into her finger and palm.

"Fuck," she hissed, wincing as her blood began to coat the shards she held.

"Hello?" she heard Inuyasha call before inhaling deeply, and she knew in that moment that she was screwed. That's when the tears finally began to slip down her cheeks. Heavy footsteps pounded up the stairs as he ran up them, probably two at time, pausing at the landing to take in the scene...and she was sure she made quite the scene.

"Kagome," he breathed, dropping to his knees and opening her palm. "What happened?" he murmured, plucking the shards out from her palm as she heard a second pair of footsteps run up the stairs. Her mother, undoubtedly.

"I…" she began, her chin trembling as her mother reached them.

"Oh, Kagome," she gasped, looking at the blood.

"I'll get her cleaned up," Inuyasha soothed, turning to look at her mother over his shoulder. "She's not wearing any shoes," he explained, and her mother nodded. "Come here," he softly addressed her, his words warm and caring and it _hurt_.

She allowed him to gently sweep her into his arms, pulling her to his chest as he stood and made his way to the bathroom. She felt him doing his best to avoid stepping on the shards, his steps awkward and uneven as he moved.

"Y-you ca-can put me d-down," she stuttered as he pushed open the bathroom door.

He made a sound of agreement, but didn't comply until he had turned on the lights and closed the door. He gently sat her on the edge of the sink, nudging her legs apart to stand between them.

Was that intentional?

Probably not.

He raised her hand, examining the cut on her palm and finger. Blood seeped from the wound as tears continued to pour down her cheeks. She hadn't realized she had cut herself so deeply. God, she felt like such a moron. What was wrong with her? Why did she have to...Why was she acting like this?

"I need to wash your hand," he decided, his tone soft and caring and pulling her out of her thoughts as he turned the water on hot. He stuck a claw tipped finger under the stream, testing it. She couldn't help but wonder if he was doing that to avoid making eye contact with her, or because he really didn't want her to burn her hand. She supposed it didn't really matter.

When he was satisfied, he brought her hand under the stream and apologized when she hissed after he pumped out soap from the dispenser, gently massaging it over the wound. The suds turned pink with her blood and she bit the inside of her lip at the sight. Satisfied with his job, he brought it back under the stream, continuing to keep his eyes on his task instead of looking at her.

He didn't even glance at her. Not once.

It made her feel like shit.

He'd take care of her like this because she was wounded, but he didn't want to acknowledge her existence otherwise.

She wanted to vomit, but she was still too busy crying.

"What happened," he asked softly, turning the sink off and examining the cuts. "Shit...you're _still_ bleeding," he murmured, bringing her hand to his mouth, popping a finger in.

She stared at him in surprise when she felt his tongue caressing her digit, swirling around it and pressing against the cut. Her breath hitched in her throat at the sensations. The sound seemed to snap him out of whatever thoughts were running through his head. His eyes widened as it occurred to him that perhaps he shouldn't be sucking on her finger - laving it lovingly with his tongue.

It felt so intimate.

Personal.

He lowered his eyes and his ears, but he didn't stop. Perhaps because he had already committed. Perhaps for another reason.

Perhaps it didn't fucking matter.

After a moment, he pulled her finger back out of his mouth with a wet sounding pop. Her hand glistened in the light from water and his saliva, and she watched him examine the wound on her finger.

"You didn't answer me," he noted, his eyes still on her wounds.

"D-didn't think y-you really w-wanted m-me to," she hiccuped as he pulled her finger back between his lips. He didn't reply, but he did shoot her a knowing look, cupping her cheek. He gently stroked the skin under her eye, rubbing away the wet streaks her tears had left behind as his tongue began to work on her finger again. "I just...j-just bumped in-into the t-table. Nothin-ing more ex-citing th-than that."

He hummed a sound of acknowledgement, the vibrations shot straight through her and made her bite her lip at the sensation. It felt good. And not in a good way.

Well.

Yes.

In a good way. A _very_ good way. But she didn't want to feel _that_ good right now. She didn't want to be left feeling tingly and warm and wanting to kiss him. Take comfort in him.

She wasn't allowed that luxury anymore.

He pulled her finger back out again, and this time he was pleased with his work. Or at least she assumed he was since he didn't suck on it again. Instead he moved to her palm and began licking it.

"What were ya doing up?" he tenderly asked between passes of his tongue.

"Couldn't sleep," she replied, her voice stronger - no longer quivering from crying.

He paused, his nostrils flared, and he looked at her in confusion.

Ass knew she was lying.

"I came down to make you coffee," she confessed begrudgingly, shifting her eyes to the side. "You said you like my coffee, so I've been coming down and making it every morning."

She felt him stop again, but she couldn't bring herself to look at him. She was so...so _tired_ of the way things were with them. Tired of walking on eggshells. Tired of feeling like they would fight at any second. Tired of not being able to talk to him like she used to. Tired of not being able to find comfort with him.

"I...I thought it was different. Better. Figured ya mighta shown your mom how ya do it."

There was something about the tone of his voice that made her glance back at him. His eyes were molten. Burning. Filled with so much heat she was startled. What on earth was going through his mind?

"No...It's been me. It's the only way I could thank you. Since we're…" she trailed off, unable to finish the thought aloud. Since we're avoiding each other. Since we're pretending we don't exist.

"...Thank you," he murmured, resuming his work on her palm before pausing and adding, "And...thank you for the muffins. They were good."

"You're welcome. I...I'm glad you liked them," she whispered. "Thank you for the chocolate bar. You didn't have to."

"Wanted to," he shrugged, pulling away from her palm and examining it. "Here...all better."

She looked at her hand and smiled sadly at it when he let go. The cuts were gone...but so was his touch.

"Thanks," she whispered.

"You're welcome," he smiled wanly. "You have good timing. If you did it much later in the day, I might not have been able to help."

"Because of the new moon?"

His brows rose in surprise and she tried to not feel offended.

"You remember?"

"Of course I remember - we used to spend every new moon together. Up until...college. There isn't a new moon that goes by that I don't think of you."

"You...You think of me?"

"How could I not?" she replied, a wry smile on her lips. "Do you remember the night you told me?"

"Like it was yesterday," he chuckled. "I was so nervous…I didn't know what you were going to think or say or do…"

"Make you bare your teeth and open your mouth because I couldn't believe you were really human?"

"You certainly did that," he grinned, taking her hand and rubbing her knuckles with his thumb, and she felt the flutter of butterfly wings in her stomach at his touch. "And you stayed up with me all night because I can never sleep on my human nights. I feel uncomfortable in my own skin. Like nothing is right...but you made me feel better, and I did appreciate that."

"It was my pleasure," she replied cupping his cheek, and she felt him tilt his head ever so slightly into her palm. "Do...Do you still stay up all night?"

"I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted to. Why - wanting to keep me company Higurashi?"

She knew he was joking...but in that moment, she knew that was all she wanted to do, and it must have shown on her face.

"Kagome…"

"I know! I know...Don't worry. I know you don't want to see me," she reassured him, looking off to the side. She didn't want to be here right now. She didn't want to hear him tell her to stay away...even if that was all she had done for the last seven years. Even if that's what she deserved.

Now that she was back and he was here...It was so hard to stay away.

"But you...you want to see me?" His tone was confused. Perhaps even...hopeful?

She looked back at him and his golden eyes were so soft. She wanted to fall into them. Pull him into her arms. Bury her face into his neck.

"I want what you want," she replied carefully, her words slow and measured.

His face hardened again, and his tongue kissed his teeth.

"Got it," he bit out, pulling away from her. "Don't worry about me then. Easy enough, right?"

"Inuyasha—"

"—It's ok, Kagome. Really. I'm not gonna ask ya ta do something ya clearly don't wanna do. I'm gonna help your mom clean up the glass before I start work."

He spun around on his heel and she reached out to grab his arm before she could stop herself. She couldn't let them end like this. She couldn't do this anymore.

"I do want to see you, Inuyasha. I...I miss you," she confessed, her voice wavering as her eyes began to prickle with tears again. "I've missed us so badly. I hate this. I hate what we've turned into. I...I—"

He turned around, gently pulling her into his chest as she lost the capability of speech and began sobbing into his shirt. A low, soothing rumbling vibrated out from his chest, and she felt herself trying to pull him that much closer.

"I hate this too," he admitted, running his fingers through her hair. "I've wanted to see you for seven years...but...God, I wish we could fix this…"

She said nothing, nuzzling further into him as he continued to soothe her. She greedily accepted his comfort, fisting his shirt into her white knuckled hands. It felt so good to be held by him again. She felt like she belonged here - wrapped up in his arms. She never wanted to let go of him again.

"Maybe we can," she braved, finally pushing away from him. "Maybe we already took the first step - by admitting we're unhappy and we don't like this."

"Maybe," he sighed, running his fingers through his bangs as she reluctantly released him, allowing her arms to drop down to her sides. "The real question is, do ya wanna fix it?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"A fair one, Kagome," he replied wryly. "After things ended...I waited for you for four years, hoping you'd come back to me. When your mom finally told me that you started working at that magazine…" he shook his head, looking away from her. "What do you honestly want, Kagome? You. Not what ya think I want. What do _you_ want?"

"I want…" she began, a lump forming in her throat. "I want to spend tonight with you, like we used to. That's what I want."

He raised a hand, cupping her cheek and gently caressing it, rubbing away another tear that escaped the corner of her eye.

"Then I'll see you tonight."

* * *

A/N:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CLEARWILLOW, YOU POETIC, NOBLE LAND-MERMAID! WE LOVE YOU!

One Last Ride, from this moment forward, will no longer be updated on Tumblr! You will only find AMAs, sneak peaks, and additional fan art not drawn by Clearwillow there!


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 11

Kagome's grip on the steering wheel tightened and relaxed as she stared out at the ranch house in front of her. Was this crazy? Coming here? Wanting to spend tonight with him? Be by his side?

He had told her she should come...

Now that she was here, she was terrified and questioning everything. Maybe this had all been a giant mistake. She missed him so much though...but she just _knew_ that they would be delving into old wounds tonight.

Knowing you were walking into that was...hard.

She took a deep calming breath and remembered what her therapist had told her earlier that day when Kagome had called her. She needed to do this. If nothing else, it would bring her closure - something she had been sorely missing. Inuyasha had been thrown back into her life, for better or for worse, and it was time she faced her past.

She leaned over and grabbed the six pack from the foot of the passenger's seat and got out, gently closing the door of her rental. The sun was just about to set - his transformation would be happening any minute now, and she wanted to be with him when it did.

As she slowly approached the quaint, white house, she could hear two voices yelling within. She couldn't quite make out the words, but she could tell that one was Izayoi. The other was a bit harder to identify, but if she had to guess, she would put her money on it belonging to Inuyasha. She had heard his mother use that tone with him once before when he had run away as a kid. The time he had walked through the creek to their house because he didn't want to do chores.

His parents had been furious...but his mother? She had really lit into him. She hadn't been able to see him for two and a half whole weeks after that. It had been the longest they had ever spent apart. Until...until now.

Whatever had happened tonight...it wasn't good.

She was just beginning to debate if she should knock, turn tail, or awkwardly wait around when the front door swung open and a very irate and flushed Inuyasha pushed past the storm door. His footsteps were heavy as he pounded down the steps and strode over to her, a snarl on his face. He took her arm and started guiding her away from the house and she looked at him before glancing over her shoulder.

Izayoi appeared in the doorway behind him, looking just as angry.

"Inuyasha! Inuyasha get back here! We weren't done yet!"

"I think we were Ma!" he snapped, pausing and whirling around on his mother, a fang poking out of the corner of his mouth. She felt his grasp tighten on her arm and she hissed at the surprising amount of pressure. His ear swiveled back on her and he loosened his grip, mumbling out an apology. "I love you Ma, but... _I gotta_. I just...I gotta," he reiterated, his tone softening. "I'll see ya later, ok?"

Izayoi looked like she was about to argue with him, but Toga came into view and placed his hands on her shoulders. She turned her head around to regard him with pained eyes, and he shot his wife an understanding look. Izayoi spun in her husband's arms, allowing him to pull her into a warm, comforting embrace before shifting his eyes to his son. They were solemn and worried, but Toga nodded and that was all Inuyasha seemed to need. He returned his father's gesture before pulling more gently on Kagome's arm, guiding her away from his house and around to the stable.

"Inuyasha?" she asked hesitantly, unsure of what he was planning.

"Thought we should go someplace we can't be overheard," he explained roughly. "I thought we could go to our spot at the cliffs. How does one last ride sound?"

Like she didn't want it to be the last one.

"Sounds like a good idea."

He nodded, acknowledging that he heard her, as he brought her into the stable and started saddling Bessie. It was then that his transformation overcame him, and she watched as his hair lost its brilliant silvery luster and became a dark, midnight black. She watched as his claws faded away into round, blunted tips. She watched as his ears disappeared from the top of his head to reappear on the sides of his face. She watched as he paused in work, placing a hand on Bessie's neck, his fingers twitching.

"Inuyasha," she called, tentatively touching his shoulder. She knew he hated his transformation. He had once described it as someone taking his head and dunking it into a bucket of water. His senses were dulled and he felt like he couldn't breathe until the sun rose the next day.

"I'm fine," he snapped, his tawny eyes filled with annoyance and she flinched, pulling back as if he had burnt her. "Kagome…" he sighed, reaching back for her hand and shooting her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I...let's start over, ok?"

She could only nod and give his hand a gentle squeeze as he gave her a small smile.

"I know you want to, but I...I don't wanna talk about it, can we just leave it at that?"

"Yeah. Sure," she smiled weakly, and he returned to his work. Once he was finished he glanced down at the beers Kagome held and gave her a wry smile.

"Beer?"

"Thought we could use it," she smiled sheepishly, causing him to chuckle dryly.

"Probably," he agreed, taking it from her when she offered it. He ripped into the cardboard and placed three beers into the saddle bag on either side of Bessie before offering her a hand. She nervously accepted it, allowing him to help her up before climbing on behind her and taking the reins.

His hand landed on her waist and she ignored the way her body practically sung at his touch. She tried to at least. It felt good, his hand...the way it held her firmly, pressing her back to his chest. The way it kept her in place.

It...it felt right being in his arms. Even if it was only for a few minutes. She leaned back into him as he began trotting Bessie out of the stable and she felt him stiffen for a second and she quickly apologized.

"It's fine," he weakly reassured her, his posture relaxing slightly as he pulled her closer. Their bodies fit together perfectly. She could feel the heat of him against her back, the thin cotton of his button down and her t-shirt doing nothing to prevent her from noticing it.

When they had been dating, she used to joke that they had been made for each other. That was how perfectly their bodies and melded together. Now, it was just yet another reminder of how horribly things had gone wrong.

They were silent as they made their way to the cliffs, each lost in their own thoughts. Kagome couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about. Was he regretting this? Did he think this was a mistake? She hoped he didn't...and that this wasn't.

She took a deep, calming breath and she felt Inuyasha's hand twitch on her. He felt that. Probably heard it too, over the sound of Bessie's hooves.

"Are you ok," he asked gently, craning his neck to try and get a better look at her.

"Yeah," she breathed shakily, turning around to give him a nervous smile. "It's just...the last time we were out here, things didn't go so well…"

She regretted it as soon as she said it. She was sure he was already thinking about it...but his eyes darkened and his jaw twitched.

"No...they didn't," he agreed coldly as their spot came into view.

It was as beautiful as she remembered it. The cliffs towering over the still, glassy water of the lake. The field of wildflowers dotting the grass with specs of vibrant colors, visible even in the darkness. The small fire pit they had built years ago still stood, looking rather well maintained, and he had gathered enough firewood to last several nights. The only thing new was the log they used as a bench. She assumed the old one had rotted away long ago. Perhaps turned into firewood for the pit?

That thought gave her pause. The pit _did_ look well maintained. And there _was_ a new log to sit on. Did he come out here frequently?

He dismounted from Bessie, drawing her attention from her thoughts as he held out a hand to help her down. She accepted it swinging a leg over the mare's back to step down. Inuyasha silently led Bessie to the post he had installed to keep Suzzie from wandering off and secured her reins to it. She busied herself with removing the beers, trying to distract herself from the sudden anxiety she felt in the pit in her stomach.

It wasn't helping. She felt like a mess.

Inuyasha bent down to pick up a red backpack she hadn't noticed in the darkness before, swinging one arm through a strap. He turned to regard her, raising a brow to silently ask her if she was ready. She quickly moved to his side, allowing him to lead her over to the pit.

"The clearing looks good," she commented as he put the bag down, opening it.

"Good," he nodded, lighting a match. He expertly flicked it into the fire pit, igniting the logs within it.

"You came out here earlier today, didn't you?"

"What gave you that idea?" he asked wryly, and she blushed, looking away. "Sorry," he sighed. "Just...bad at this. With you."

"I am too," she whispered as the fire crackled to life, and she sat down on the felled log.

"It's why we're doing this...right?" he questioned, clearly looking for reassurance as he sat down on the log a few feet away from her.

"Yeah," she let out slowly in a burst of air. "It is."

She bent down to pick up a beer and Inuyasha's eyes widened, starting to tell her to not open it yet, but it was too late. The fatal metallic 'click' of tin against tin rang out through the clearing, and the can sprayed beer all over her. She squealed as the foam struck her, soaking her shirt as Inuyasha scooted backwards, holding his arm up to shield himself as best he could.

"Fuck!" she yelled, standing and shaking her hands, trying to dispel the amber liquid.

A low chuckling slowly filled the warm night air, and she turned to look down at Inuyasha. He held a hand up to his mouth, his eyes twinkling in amusement as his torso shook, his laughter slowly gaining volume and strength.

She looked down at herself - she was completely soaked and sticky and she hated it...but...it _was_ funny. The whole night had this giant, awkward _tension_ to it. This was so stupid and preventable and _of course_ it would happen and...she didn't know why...but it _was_ hilarious.

Giggles slowly bubbled up from her, until she too was laughing hysterically, her hands clasped over her mouth as his were. Her knees buckled and she collapsed back down onto the log, allowing the release of tension to consume her until finally, they were both gasping for air and wiping away the tears spilling down from their cheeks. Their faces were red - flushed from the strength of their laughter.

"I tried to warn you," he finally grinned, and she rolled her eyes, a smile still tugging the corners of her lips up.

"You did," Kagome agreed, looking down at her shirt. "Ugh!" she moaned. "I'm going to be sticky all night!"

He didn't say anything in response, and when she turned to him to make another comment, she felt it die on her tongue. He was slowly unbuttoning his shirt, peeling himself out of it.

"Here," he offered, removing himself from the garment and handing it to her. "Why don't you wash yours in the lake and put this on instead. Don't think it got _too_ wet," he grinned cheekily. She gave him a warm, grateful smile, reaching out to take his shirt. Her fingers lightly brushed against his, and she felt the butterflies return to her stomach at the brief contact.

"Thank you...won't you get cold?" he was in nothing but a white tank top now, and while they did have a fire, and while it was summer, she was still worried. He shrugged off her concern, insisting he would be fine.

"I'm not gonna get sick from being out here in just this," he smirked, tugging at his shirt. "Take it. Get cleaned up, and don't worry 'bout it, kay?"

"Ok," she blushed, stepping behind the log to walk over to the lake. "No peeking," she called lightly over her shoulder as she reached the lake, but she didn't hear a response.

Fuck - she was soaked! She quickly peeled herself out of her shirt, letting it drop to the grassy ground before working on her bra. It too fell to the ground, and the summer air kissed her bare skin, making her arms break out in goosebumps.

She dropped to her bare knees at the edge of the water, cupping her palms and dipping them in to gather water and clean her damp skin. She shivered lightly as a breeze caressed her exposed skin, and quickly moved on to dunking her shirt and undergarment into the water. She did her best to rub them clean and remove the beer, but it was hard to tell how clean she was really getting them without light. She just had to guess they were done, wring them out, and call it a day.

Well.

Night, really.

She slipped into the shirt Inuyasha had lent her, buttoning it until she reached the waistband of her shorts, and tied the excess into a knot. She knew he was larger than her but...she was _swimming_ in this! It had fit him so well too...It was just another reminder of how much he had changed over the last seven years.

She shook her head, dispelling negative thoughts as they began to creep into the corners of her mind, and gathered her clothing to lay out by the fire. When she returned, Inuyasha's cheeks were bright red, and he refused to look her in the eye.

He totally peeked.

She mentally sighed as she laid the clothing out. She couldn't really get too mad...She would have done the same if their roles were reversed, and it wasn't like it was anything he hadn't seen before. Besides, she doubted he could really see that much in this light anyways.

Kagome heard him mutter something under his breath as she laid her bra out (she thought it might have been fucking hell?) and reached into his back pocket, taking out a flask. He quickly unscrewed it, tilting his head back and taking a long, deep swig from the bottle.

"Here," he offered when he was done, holding the flask up for her. When she didn't immediately take it, he rolled his eyes and waved it again, tilting the bottle from side to side. "Drink some."

"I…" she hesitated, and he sighed in exasperation.

"What's the matter? Don't wanna drink from the same bottle? Scared of my germs? My tongue has been down your throat before, ya know..."

"As I recall, more than just your tongue's been down there," she mumbled, and he arched an eyebrow.

"See? Might as well then. This is easier to swallow anyways," he smirked, and she tried not to choke.

Jerk had a point.

Like hell she was going to admit that though...but she did want the flask. She snatched it and downed some of the liquor, her throat burning as the whiskey touched it. She handed the flask back to him, rubbing her lips with the back of her hand when she was done.

"You brought whiskey with you?"

"Thought we could use it," he shrugged, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips up as he repeated her justification from earlier. "It's a lot less _explosive_ than beer. I, um...I also brought marshmallows? If you wanted to roast some..."

"Depends - did you also bring chocolate and gram crackers?"

His smirk morphed into a wide grin and he grabbed his old, high school backpack, handing it to her. She opened it and saw that he had brought more than just stuff for s'mores. He had potato chips in her favorite flavor, a mad libs book, a deck of cards, uno, gummy bears, and a bunch of other stuff...He had really prepared.

His bag was packed with all of the things they used to love doing together as kids when he became human. Minus the video games. He had to have brought this out here sometime earlier in the day and the heat might not have been good for the electronics. Still...he went through a lot of trouble to get this ready.

Her heart melted a little at the thought.

He always was a planner. The night he proposed to her was no different. He brought her here, and they had a picnic by the fire. It wasn't anything extravagant - just some simple sandwiches he had made because they traveled well. When they were done, he handed her the newest wooden puzzle box his father had made, daring her to open it.

Not one to back down from a challenge, she got to work, twisting and pulling until she finally got the top off, and gasped when she saw the ring box. He plucked it out, dropped to one knee and…

She mentally gave herself a shake. She didn't want to dive into those old memories. Not yet, anyways. She wanted to wait until they were more ready than they were now. They were hardly on good speaking terms. Just jumping in...it felt like a mistake.

"S'mores sound great," she grinned, taking out the marshmallows and metal coat hangers. He reached back over to his backpack, taking out the chocolate and graham crackers. "Here," she offered, handing him a coat hanger with a skewered marshmallow.

"Thanks," he replied quietly, the barest hint of a smile tugging at his lips as he kneeled closer to the pit. She watched him lower his marshmallow near the flames to toast it, and she joined him.

She lowered the marshmallow into the pit beside his and turned to look at him out of the corner of her eye. The light from the fire flickered over his features, bathing him in warm oranges and golds. She absently watched as he rotated the hanger, expertly browning his marshmallow. A certain softness she hadn't seen in years graced his being, and she found herself entranced by his beauty.

There really was no other word for it.

He had always been, and would always be, the most beautiful man in the world to her. Yes, he was rugged and a manly man...but at times, when he let his guard down...he was simply beautiful.

"Kagome!" he yelled, and she shot him a confused look as he grabbed her hanger in a panic, bringing it out of the pit. She had been so caught up staring at him, lost in her thoughts, that she didn't notice it had caught fire. He started rapidly blowing on it, trying to put out the flames. "Well...I hope you wanted it burnt to a crisp?" he tried, sighing in relief once the fire was out.

"Not really," she cringed, her words coming out in a mumble. Fuck! How could she let herself become so distracted? She absently noticed him glance from her marshmallow to his perfectly golden one, and he traded hangers with her, ignoring her protests.

"I don't mind a little charcoal," he shrugged, taking out the graham cracker and chocolate.

"Since when?" she replied, suspiciously.

"Since I decided I didn't," he shot back, raising a brow, challenging her to argue with him. Instead, she just slumped down and shot him a grateful smile.

"Thanks, Inuyasha."

"It's nothing," he shrugged, assembling his s'more and biting into it. He choked a little and took his whiskey back out, taking a few swigs. How that helped, she had no idea, but it must have.

"I guess I take after my dad," she absently mused. "Remember that time we all gathered out back in our yard? Your parents and Sessh came over for dinner after we just started dating?"

"Wait...Are you...Are you talking about _Sugar Daddy_?"

"You remember!"

"Woman, how could I forget!" he barked out a laugh. "Fuck...Your father almost scarred me for life!"

Her grin only widened at the light sparkling in his taupe eyes.

"We were what," she continued, "Only thirteen? And we were talking about something that completely distracted him."

"Probably football," Inuyasha supplied, and Kagome nodded enthusiastically, agreeing. Their fathers were both huge football fans - nothing could distract her father like football. Except baseball. Or basketball...but she remembered that it was fall. School had been in session for a while at that point.

"Next second we hear Mama yelling that his marshmallow is on fire. And we were sitting on the other side of the pit..."

"He starts waving it around like a madman, not realizing that when he swings it back just the right way-"

"-It'll come shooting off the end, catapulting towards us? Thank God you had some speed on you! He almost hit you!"

"Pretty sure the tip of my ear got singed," Inuyasha joked lightly.

"Oh stop - it did not!"

"But it coulda!"

"If it did, he wouldn't have given you the speech after," she smirked.

"Oh fuck...That speech…"

"I hope this taught you a valuable lesson, son," Kagome imitated. "If you hurt my daughter, I can turn anything into a weapon and come after you."

"A _flaming_ marshmallow though?"

"He was creative," she shrugged. "Almost as creative as your dad calling him _Sugar Daddy_ for the next five years."

"I think he just liked saying he was going to meet up with his 'Sugar Daddy' when we went on dates," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Maybe…" she agreed, watching him finish off his s'more. "They absolutely used us as an excuse to go on man dates."

"Can you blame them," Inuyasha snorted. "We wanted to go to the movies together. Alone. They wanted to grab a beer. Without kids. It was a win win."

"Mmm...especially when the 'big game' was on. Do you know how many times I freaked out thinking I was going to get in trouble going out with you on a school night?"

"Please! Pops was the one telling me to ask ya! Kept pestering me about it until I did it. 'Hey son...why don't you ask Kagome out on Thursday next week?'," he imitated. "'But I have school the next day - won't I get in trouble?' 'You let me deal with your mother. Just ask her out.'"

"You never told me your dad was the one getting you to do that!"

"It's not like he had to twist my arm, Kagome," he smiled wryly. "It worked out pretty well for both of us. He got to go out with your dad...and...I got to go out with you. Like I said. Win win. Pretty sure our moms caught on and got in on it too. I remember coming back once and Ma was more than a lil' tipsy."

Kagome snorted, imagining her mother telling Izayoi to bring over the fancy cheese because she had the merlot, and he let out a full bodied laugh at the imagery.

She loved hearing that laugh. It felt like ages since she had made him laugh. She wanted to do it again, and soon they were trading stories, all starting out with "do you remember when..." or "remember that time you…". It was nice. It felt like old times. Comfortable. Like she hadn't broken his heart right here, in this very spot...giving him back his grandmother's solitaire ring with tears in her eyes.

They eventually settled into a companionable silence, just staring into the flickering flames before them. Inuyasha would occasionally add another log to the pit, sparks flaring up into the darkness around them as he introduced the new wood.

"I didn't handle it well," Inuyasha confessed, the quiet timbre of his voice breaking the silence. He had moved down onto the grass, his legs spread out in front of him. His fingers absently toyed with the lid of the flask, slowly twisting it this way and that.

"What didn't you handle well," she prodded, her voice matching the quiet, contemplative tone of his.

"Us," he whispered, propping a knee up and tilting his head back to stare at the night sky. "You leavin'. I could have been more supportive...Coulda encouraged you more. Done more to show ya I loved you and trusted ya...Believed in your dreams...But I was just...so fucking _hurt_ , Kagome. You don't even understand. You didn't even _tell_ me you were applying to college. Ya just fucking _did it_."

"And I needed your approval?"

"You never needed my approval to do anything," he replied wryly. "But...fuck, Kagome. Ya didn't even include me! You didn't tell me you were even thinking 'bout it. Ya just did. And then you sprung it on me. Do you know how deeply that cut me? That you wouldn't _confide_ in _me_? Tell _me_ what ya were thinking of doing? I coulda been better...And...And I know I said and did shit that wasn't right...but I just...You were cutting me out of your life, Kagome!"

"I know," she whispered, moving off of the log to sit beside him on the ground. "It wasn't fair to you. I could have been better too, Inuyasha. I just...I _needed_ to leave. I needed to get away from this place. It was so hard when Gramps had a stroke...and then Papa had a heart attack not even a month later...Inuyasha I was _so_ broken."

"And I couldn't help fix you," he whispered, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes. "I wasn't enough..."

" _No one_ was enough. I had to ruin my life to see how broken I was," she whimpered, taking his hands into hers as she watched a few glimmering tears roll down his cheek, and she felt her own throat tightening. "I had to lose you to see I needed help, and I needed to leave Montana and put some distance between myself and their deaths. _Everywhere_ I looked, I saw them and it hurt that much more. Papa had always encouraged me to be a writer. You know that..."

"Yeah," he breathed. "I do. Thought I did too."

"You did...but you wanted me to be a writer here. I wanted to see if I could do more. I felt like I was honoring his memory, if I did this. He always told me to pursue my dreams."

"And your dreams didn't involve me," he choked, turning his head away from her.

"Of course they did!" she insisted, her vision blurring. "I just wasn't ready...Inuyasha, if you had waited to propose until after I graduated from college, I would have come home and married you and...and I would have been satisfied."

"I could have waited for you until after you finished," he snapped, turning to look at her. His cheeks were wet. His chest heaving. "Damnit, Kagome...I would have been happy with a long engagement! I didn't think we were going to get married the next day! If you wanted to wait a few years, I would have waited! I loved you so fucking much...I wanted you. I would have given you the goddamn moon! I just didn't know how else to show you I supported you, because you're right. You were pulling away and I didn't know how to fix us. I...I would have done anything for you, Kagome. Anything."

She couldn't have held back the tears even if she had wanted to...and she didn't. She let them fall freely down her cheeks, pooling at her chin to drop onto his shirt.

"I know. We...we could have been better to each other. We were children, trying to be adults. We couldn't do it. We weren't ready...we were too young, Inuyasha."

"Yeah, we were…" he agreed, taking his hands back from her to wipe his cheeks, allowing her to do the same. He unscrewed the cap of his flask and took a long, deep swig before handing it to her, absently staring into the fire.

She took it and drank, the warm amber liquid burning her already tight throat. God...it fucking _hurt_ unleashing seven years of locked up pain...But she had known going into tonight that it would and she was _proud_ that they were finally _talking_. This was what they should have done seven years ago...but they hadn't been ready. She had meant it when she had said that they were children trying to act like adults.

She capped the flask and handed it back to him, staring absently into the fire.

This was a start.

But they were far from over.

They needed to go further.

Deeper into the pain of their past.

It was time he knew the truth. He _deserved_ to know the truth. Even if he cursed her. Despised her after. Even if he...Even if he hated her for the rest of her life.

He needed to know.

"I...I need to tell you something, Inuyasha," she began shakily, and she watched his eyes turn to her as his head continued to face ahead towards the flames. "That night I came back from college over Thanksgiving break," she choked out, not needing to say more. They knew the night she was referring to.

It was the night she broke up with him.

He brought her here. To their place. Planned a romantic evening with her with warm cider and thick blankets and gazing at the stars...Told her about the plot of land his parents had given him - _them_ \- to build a house. It was their engagement present to them. A spot halfway between the home she had grown up in, and the home he had grown up in. He showed her the plans he had been working on for it...And she...She ended them.

"What about it," he asked roughly.

"I...I thought I was telling you the truth but...I wasn't. I never cheated on you."

There. She said it.

She saw him flick his gaze to the fire for a moment before returning stare at her out of the corner of his eye, and she took a shuddering breath before continuing.

"I was out of control when I got to college. I was drinking almost every night. Struggling in all of my classes. Constantly partying. It's a _miracle_ I didn't lose my scholarship.

One night I went with Ayame...she was my wolf demon roommate, at the time, to a party. I don't remember it. Or what I did...but I woke up with just a bra on in another guy's bed, and a naked frat guy was passed out next to me. I didn't know until I came back from break that I didn't...that _we_ didn't sleep together. We didn't even touch.

Ayame told me. Said she never smelled him on me in that way. But it...it was too late by then. I ruined us. I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. I...I never meant for it to get so bad. I started seeing a therapist a few weeks later when I finally accepted that I needed help, because I was just so fucking broken."

He was silent, gathering his thoughts, playing with the flask again, and it was killing her inside. She could feel her heart beat harder and harder the longer he remained silent. Oh God...what had she done? What was he thinking? What was going through his head? Did he hate her? Could he forgive her? Maybe this had been a mistake. Maybe she should have never-

"I know you never cheated on me."

His words were so soft, she almost thought she imagined it.

"Y-you knew?"

He raised a hand and tapped his nose.

"Of course I knew. You said it happened two days before. You think I wouldn't have known?"

"T-then why-"

"-You wanted out. I loved you so much...but I wasn't gonna to keep you a prisoner in our relationship. I meant it when I said I thought that proposing would help. It was the last thing I could think of, and I had tried everything at that point. I loved you so fucking much, Kagome. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I wasn't lying about that...But...I didn't know what to do anymore.

You came to me with this story about cheating on me...I had to let you go, and pray that one day, you would come back. What's that sayin'? 'If you love someone, set them free. If they come back they're yours; if they don't they never were'. That's why I waited for four years. I thought you needed your time to live your life...and then when you were ready, you'd come back to me, and we could find a way back to us. I was wrong."

"Inuyasha…" she breathed, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks.

"Why didn't you tell me? You could have called me as soon as you found out it wasn't true. We could have talked. We could have tried to make it work still...If you knew, why did you just...let me go?"

"I...I don't know. I was still so broken...and that last conversation was so bad Inuyasha…" she whispered brokenly, her salty tears slipping into her mouth. "I wasn't ready when I found out the truth. I couldn't, I...I…"

He knew. All this time he knew. And he let her go because she was that bad. He thought it was the last thing he could do to help her.

Because he loved her that fucking much.

He leaned over and pulled her into his arms, rubbing her back.

"We both fucked up," he whispered into her hair. "We fucked up so badly."

"We did," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Inuyasha. I'm so sorry…"

"Me too, Kagome. I...Me too..."

[OLR: Hidden Kisses](https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/80926950)

* * *

A/N: Oh hai! Plz dun shoot meh? We shoot meh I can't provide the smoots later today. Cause I still have OLR smoots to post. But later.

Also, voting has started over at the Feudal Connection at Tumblr! If you like this piece, please consider voting for it! It's been nominated for best AU and best angst! If you're ho hum about this one, but like A Heart's Abduction, that one has also been nominated for best AU! I'm you're meh about everything, check out who has also been nominated and vote for their thing instead! You'll help make someone's day. Voting closes May 13. Vote here! <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfAoBGjfcyuKv0_VYH5G4FNJyZ9MVZodOyr69QKy-M7WNi-4w/viewform>

Until next time!

-LL


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Part 12

Inuyasha awoke as he felt his demonic powers returning to him. He never slept on nights of the new moon. Not once in his whole life...but...somehow...he had fallen asleep. Maybe it was all the liquor? Or...or maybe it had been the emotional release last night had offered him.

No matter what it was, he wasn't prepared to wake up with Kagome nestled into him, using his upper body as a pillow. Her fingers clung tightly to his tank top by his pectoral, while the other held onto his shoulder. He could tell that she was still fast asleep as she nuzzled further into him, and he was paralyzed, unsure of what to do.

The scent of their tears filled the clearing, and memories of the night before flashed before his eyes, making him suck in a shaky breath. The movement was enough to lightly jostle Kagome, and soon he felt her stirring atop him, slowly awakening.

"Inu...Yasha?" she asked sleepily, pushing herself up slightly.

"Morning?" he tried nervously as he watched her eyes slowly becoming more alert.

"Morning," she replied timidly, biting her lip and running her fingers through her hair. She looked so precious...so fragile cocooned in his shirt. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and protect her from everything. Pull her closer. Softly kiss her. His breath hitched at the thought.

Kiss her?

Really?

It was because she was sleeping on him. It had to be.

"Are...we...ok?" Kagome asked hesitantly, looking down at his chest before nervously meeting his eyes. She pulled him from his thoughts, and he was more than happy for the distraction.

Were they ok?

He didn't know if they could ever truly be free from their past...but...maybe, just maybe, they could finally start to move on from it. For good.

"I think we're better than we were," he murmured, watching her eyes rapidly scan his face. He was trying to ignore how right it felt to have her in his arms again. How perfect she still felt when her body was pressed against his like this. "I think it's a start."

"I...I think so too," she smiled shyly. That soft, beautiful smile...

He found himself cupping the side of her face. His thumb gently brushed against her cheekbone and she leaned into the simple comfort he offered, closing her eyes. He allowed himself a moment to look at her. Really look at her. How was she still so beautiful after all this time?

How did she still have this...this effect on him?

Even with puffy eyes and mussed up hair, he felt his heart begging him to do anything and everything for her.

But...even if they had mended some old wounds last night, that still wasn't them anymore. They weren't the same people they had been seven years ago, and there was still... _so much_ between them. He couldn't let himself be swept up by old desires. Old habits.

He pulled away from her, and she opened her eyes, her eyebrows knitting together in a silent question.

"We should get going," he explained weakly, and she nodded, moving away from him so he could sit up.

"I should probably change," she laughed awkwardly, bunching the hem of his button-down shirt between her fingers. "I'm assuming you'd like this back, at least..."

He felt his cheeks light at the reminder that she was wearing his shirt...and nothing else was under it. His mind immediately recalled the shape of her breasts, and he tried to keep the unwarranted images at bay.

"Nah...there...There's no need. Your stuff still smells like beer," he replied, trying to shrug casually. He watched her eyebrows lift in surprise.

"Are you sure? I don't mind, really. You shouldn't have to go home in that...I don't want to get you into trouble with your mom..."

"I'm a grown man now, Kagome...Don't worry about it," he replied, brushing off her concerns.

"But—"

"—Don't worry about it. It's cleaner than your stuff and I'm telling ya I don't mind. Just keep my damn shirt on, would ya?"

Her face broke out into a wide grin and he felt himself relax for the first time all morning.

"Ok - I'll keep your damn shirt on," she reassured him, her eyes twinkling in the warm early morning light. "I think I remember seeing some pop tarts in that backpack," she prompted, and he chuckled as her stomach growled.

"Yeah...hold on..." he confirmed, reaching off to the side to grab his backpack and rifle through it. He found the box and tossed it to her. "Breakfast is served."

"Strawberry?"

"They didn't have unfrosted blueberry," he shrugged as she handed him one of the silver, plastic rectangles holding the pop tarts.

"You remember I like unfrosted blueberry?"

He rolled his eyes and smirked. "I only grew up with ya...course I remember. Thought you might like these more than the 'vanilla milkshake' ones."

"Oh God...that's a flavor now?"

"So is hot fudge sundae, apparently..."

"Strawberry was a pretty safe choice then," she giggled, nibbling on a corner.

"I like to think I make decent choices when it comes to the bigger things in life. Like pop tart flavors."

Her face widened into a huge grin and he felt a part of himself yearn to always see that smile on her face. That wasn't gonna happen though. She was gonna leave in a couple of months, and then she would be out of his life again. He felt the corners of his mouth drag down at the reminder and laid back on the ground, tucking an arm under his head. He absently bit into his pop tart, chewing it as a voice inside his head told him to enjoy this while he could. Who knew if he was really going to see Kagome again? For all he knew, this was it.

Again.

Sure...if they happened to run into each other by chance when she came in next, they would smile and wave and be friendly before going on their way...But this was it, wasn't it?

The closure they had been needing all these years.

"What's that look all about?" he heard her ask as he finished his pop tarts and turned his head to regard her.

"Nothin'," he replied dismissively. "Just...just thinking about the flooring in my kitchen," he lied.

"Your kitchen?" she replied, tilting her head to the side in that sweet, adorable way she did when she got confused.

"Yeah," he groaned as he sat up, pulling away his tank top from his body and shaking it a few times to dispel the crumbs. "I'm...Well...You remember that land Ma and Pops gave us when we were gonna...ah..."

"...Get married?" she supplied softly, and he nodded his head.

"Yeah," he breathed. "Well, they never really took it back...they said it was mine to do what I wanted with. I sat on it until I was...23, I _think_ , before I started slowly building something there."

"You're building a house?" she pieced together, her eyes widening when Inuyasha nodded his head.

"Slowly, but I am," he confirmed. "I'm getting it done mostly by myself. Wassa bitch dealing with plumbing. And I hadda get Sam Evens to help with electrical to make sure I didn't burn the place down, but—"

"—You're building a house!" she breathed, a wide smile splayed across her face. "Inuyasha, that's amazing! I...I'd love to see it, sometime? I-if you're willing to show me, that is...You might not have the time," she quickly backpedaled, and he felt his whole face soften.

She...she had a right to see it. It was supposed to be theirs. Or at least it was at one point in time...He had kept the original plans he had drawn up for them. He didn't see a need to redo them. So...he was building their house. For himself...and for whoever he eventually married.

Because even now she wasn't really a part of the picture anymore, was she?

"Do you have someplace you need to be right now?" he asked hesitantly, and Kagome shook her head.

"I can be wherever you need me to be, Inuyasha."

* * *

"Inuyasha...It's beautiful..." Kagome breathed as his house came into view. It was still lacking more than a few coats of paint on the outside, but he just hadn't decided on a color yet. He also didn't need a painted house to move into it.

It was a simple two-story farmhouse with a gable roof jutting out into the overhang of the wrap around porch. He had set three windows into it to provide the guest room with lots of light. Or maybe it was a kid's room? It wasn't a room he was using anytime soon, that was for sure. Large, thick, square columns helped support the overhanging stormy, blue-grey roof, and he had installed a wood railing with large Xs throughout it to fence off the porch. Four large windows peaked out between the columns, two on either side of the door, and he still had to install the shutters.

Yet another project for the future.

Just like painting the door. He had bought a red one with two windows in it originally, because he had thought he was going to have a red roof...but...something had given him pause about that. At the last second, his heart had made him pick the stormy blue-grey. The color was just...oddly comforting. It reminded him of something he couldn't quite place his finger on. It didn't really matter...but it had been a bitch to install along with the smaller rectangular windows framing the door.

He listened to her excitedly prattle on about all the things she liked about it. How charming she found it. What color was he going to paint it? Was he going to plant any flowers around it? What was that second large building in the distance? A garage?

It...it made his chest ache a little to see her so excited by what he had done. They...they could have done this together. She could have come with him to the hardware store and debated which front door to get. Which little lanterns to hang on either side of it. The style of shutters.

Instead, he had done it all on his own wondering what looked better. If he was making the right choice, or if his taste was too masculine. What would a woman like too? This house wasn't just for him. He had built it knowing that he would have a family here one day.

It was reassuring hearing her compliment him on his choices...but...but why couldn't she have been this excited back then?

Maybe it was better that she had ended things before he had begun really working on it beyond his blueprints. It was already hard starting this...if she had been excited it would have been that much harder. He didn't want to spend the rest of his life thinking about the things she would have loved about his house.

Yeah.

 _His_.

He was just...showing her what he had done with the land.

"Well, do you wanna stand around all day just looking at the outside, or do you actually wanna see it?"

"Lead the way," she encouraged, sliding her hands into her back pockets, and he did just that. He lumbered up the short steps and crossed the porch to open the front door. "It's not locked?" she questioned, raising a brow.

"Out here?" he chuckled. "Nah. 'Sides. There's nothing worth taking right now. It's just an empty shell."

An empty shell missing a heart.

How morosely poetic.

He internally rolled his eyes at himself and stepped aside, allowing her to enter the foyer first. One room stood on either side. One was for an office, and the other was...undetermined. He thought that maybe it could start out as a nursery? Then become a playroom whenever he had kids? And then when they got older he could change it to something else. Make it their space. Or his wife's space. Or a guest room? He didn't have to decide now...he just had to slap some paint onto it and call it a day.

The foyer fed into a large great room. His fireplace was visible as soon as you walked into the house, and she commented on how much she liked that. It gave his house some warmth, she smiled. It was a nice touch. He just scratched the back of his head and thanked her as she continued deeper into his house. All along the left side of the house he had built cabinetry and fleshed out the majority of the kitchen. He still needed to finish the flooring and then put the island together...but then he could start doing the last little things he needed to do to get this place wrapped up. Like pick lights. And colors. The really girly stuff he wasn't sure he had an eye for. It was just taking a bit longer than he would have liked because his time was so divided right now, he explained.

"That house out back is my shop," he explained, hopping up onto the granite counter as she examined his craftsmanship with the cabinets. "I've been getting a steady flow of orders over the last few years for river tables."

"You started a business?"

"Nothin' too fancy," he shrugged when she turned to look at him in awe. "Just a little resin and woodwork. It started out as a hobby..."

A hobby to keep his mind off of his heart break.

"Anyways, it's a pretty easy process. Most of it is about the tools, not the skill. Being a half demon helps though...they get pretty heavy and I'd need ta hire people to help me move things if I were a human. Sesshomaru helps me sometimes if something is too big 'n clunky. I've been kinda doing a trade of goods for services to help with this place.

Like with Sam.

Made him a dining room table as an anniversary present for his wife. Well. We made it. Helped me pick out the wood and everything. Apparently the look on his wife's face was worth all the work of making it and helping me wire this place," he mused, looking down into his lap as she hopped up onto the granite next to him.

"And this?" she asked, rubbing her hand along the golden, sandy brown stone, inches away from his thigh.

"Knew a guy who knew a guy? Facebook, really," he laughed nervously before elaborating. "Saw a post from this small company. Had some customers who paid for it. They cutter up and did the edges, 'n then the buyers decided they wanted something else instead.

He put it on Market Place and I happened to see it. He said since it was already paid for he wanted to try 'n find a good home for it. I hadn't really started on the kitchen yet, and it was a little deeper than what I was gonna do...but it saved me a small fortune. I like how it turned out, too."

"Me too," she smiled, a certain pride lighting her eyes and making his heart thump a little harder in his chest. "Inuyasha, this is all...Everything you've done is incredible."

"You're only saying that 'cause you haven't seen the upstairs," he snorted, trying to brush off the way her words made him feel. Why did it mean so much to him to hear she liked what he had done with the place?

"I don't have to see it to know that it was done with love and care. I mean this...this is amazing, Inuyasha," she breathed, gesturing out at his empty house. "The hard work and detail you've put into this is...it's _masterful_. It's worthy of being in a magazine," she complimented, and her eyes went wide. "It _should_ be in a magazine!"

He turned, tilting his head to the side as one of his brows rose in confusion. There was something about her tone...

"Inuyasha, can I write about you? And this?" she asked excitedly, her eyes dancing as ideas started swirling around in her head.

"Me? Why?"

"Because this is amazing!" she blurted out. "You're a twenty five year old guy building a house by _himself_. Do you know how often that happens? Do you even _see_ how...how _amazing_ you are?" she continued, and his heart jumped up to his throat, beating so hard he could feel the vibrations through his whole body.

"I-it's just a house, Kagome. And Pops and Sesshomaru help when I need an extra set of hands," he shrugged dismissively.

"Inuyasha, if this were just a house, I wouldn't see you everywhere I looked."

"You do?" he replied, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"Of course! Look at these cabinets," she nodded, hopping off the counter to draw his attention to them. "They're traditional with a hint of modern. Just like you."

He eyed her skeptically, and she rolled her eyes, coming to stand between his legs and taking his hands in hers. He tried to not let his surprise show on his face, and pay attention to the words she was saying, but he was having a hard time with her standing there like that. In his shirt. In his house. Fuck...she wasn't even trying to and she was messing with his emotions. She was just being...

Kagome.

His old, bright, sunny, optimistic, easily excitable Kagome. He swore when she smiled...it made you feel like you were the center of her whole damn universe. The way she took the little things you were excited and passionate about and just... _supported_ them.

This was the Kagome he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

This woman right here.

God...he had missed her.

"...And if you're open to it, I think I can get my editor to sign off on it. You still have a _lot_ to do, right? Maybe I can shadow you for the rest of the project!"

Her ramblings came to an expectant end, and it seemed to occur to her for the first time that maybe she was intruding. Maybe this wasn't what he wanted and she should butt out... She started backtracking. Apologizing for just jumping in and inserting herself into a very personal project of his until he finally just...had had enough of this.

He placed a finger to her lips, silencing her and stopping her from spiraling out of control.

"I'm OK with this if you are, Kagome. But...why do _you_ wanna do this? You know that means you're gonna be in ma life a lot more. That something you want?"

"I...it is if you do too..."

His tongue kissed his teeth and he shook his head, rejecting her answer.

"That's not what I'm asking. I'm asking if ya wanna see me again, Kagome."

He watched as her eyes searched his face, looking for...something. He didn't know what she was hoping to find, but the way her face opened up, he knew she had found it.

"Yeah...I do," she breathed. "I want to do this, Inuyasha."

"Then..." he hesitated. Did he really want her doing this with him? Wasn't he just thinking not even a half hour ago how it was better that she wasn't involved? Fuck him...he did. He wanted her to do this with him. "Then you can write about this only if ya help me with it," he decided resolutely.

"Help you with it?" she questioned her brow furrowing in confusion.

"Yeah. With paint 'n stuff. Lighting...hardware for the cabinets...Picking it out and shit."

"Do you want me to help you with that?"

"I think I'd appreciate a woman telling me when I'm picking the wrong color, so I don't gotta repaint the place."

"And you want me to help with that," she questioned giving him a skeptical look.

"You know me as well as I know myself. Or ya did at least," he stated frankly. "Can't think of a better person."

"Your mom," she snorted, and he rolled his eyes.

"I'd rather not. She's...Well, she's Ma. I don't wanna get inna fight every time I go to the hardware store."

"Oh, is that where you think you're going for lights?" she smirked, and he furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Isn't that where you're sapposed ta go?"

"Nope!" she grinned, her eyes dancing in amusement. "If I can get them to sign off on this, then we're going to a real lighting store!"

* * *

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed this fic! And to everyone who voted for it! I'm thrilled to say that this has won Best Angst and I...Feel anything but angsty over that! Special thanks to Disgruntled Beast for the edits this time too!

Until next time!

-LL


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 13

"So...I'm going to talk to my editor...set up some appointments...But, I'll be in touch?" Kagome smiled nervously, toying with the hem of the shirt he was letting her wear.

"Yeah...sounds good," he swallowed, nodding his head as she bit the inside of her lip.

"Ok. I guess...I'll see you around?"

"Yeah," he replied, swallowing again, fidgeting with the red strap of his backpack slung over his shoulder. He ran his thumb up and down it again and again, as they looked at each other. It was like...despite last night, they still had more to say, yet...they didn't know how to say whatever it was.

"Ok then," she finally breathed, rolling up onto the balls of her feet before flattening them. "Later, Inuyasha."

"Yeah...bye…" he waved, his hand slightly curled in on itself as she unlocked her rental and climbed in. Her engine rumbled to life, and he watched her reverse and carefully peel away from the house, mindful of the gravel driveway.

Inuyasha sighed as she disappeared from sight - the dull rumble of the engine no longer audible. He was still sorting how he felt about….everything. She was going to help him decorate his house.

 _His_.

…on the land that had been given to _them_. Built with the plans he had drawn up for _them_.

It was...weird. Something he had never thought would happen after he had finally found his way through the pain of their end, and began moving forward with his life. Was he just...taking ten giant steps back?

Or was this a good thing? Was entwining himself with her...a good thing?

He groaned, his head rolling back onto his shoulders. This wasn't a rabbit hole he wanted to go down right now. What he wanted was a hot shower and something more than poptarts in his belly...but that meant facing his mother.

Fan. Fucking. Tastic.

He knew it was better to nut up and face her sooner rather than later...but that didn't make it any easier. Their fight hadn't exactly...gone over well the night before. Still, he owed her an apology. She only wanted the best for him, even if what she thought was best as a little...misguided sometimes.

In his opinion at least.

Inuyasha sighed and grabbed the strap slung over his shoulder, rolling his stiff neck before he lumbered up the porch and opened the rickety storm door, and then the front door.

"I'm home," he called out, not expecting a response, and indeed - he was greeted with silence. He heard some shuffling in the other room, and his father appeared a moment later, looking him up and down.

"You look like you had an interesting night," he commented, his lip quirking up at the corner. Inuyasha was still in just his white tank top, and he was sure his hair was probably a bit messier than normal. He was sure he made quite the picture. "You smell like it too...Alcohol and Kagome…"

"Pops—"

"—Inuyasha, your business is your business, but I'm your father...so I'm only gonna ask you this once. Are you sure about this, son?"

Inuyasha sighed, a shuddering breath leaving his lungs as he ran a hand through his bangs.

"Honestly dad...I have no idea, but...I think…" he sighed, readjusting the strap on his shoulder, "I think I need to do this."

He watched his father's eyes search his face, darting back and forth as he seemed to come to a decision.

"Ok then," he nodded, wrapping an arm around his son's shoulders. "I trust ya," Touga reassured, giving them a tight squeeze before commenting that he really needed a shower. Something he knew already...his father didn't need to hound him about it…

"...But first, talk to your mother? She's beena wreck since last night."

Perfect.

"Yeah," he sighed, his words leaving in a whoosh as he exhaled. "I will."

"Now please," his father replied, shooting him a look that said he meant business. He might not have been eight anymore, but his father could still throw him over his knee and whoop his ass if he wanted to.

"I'm going," he grumbled, his ears telling him that his mother was in the laundry room.

He slowly meandered through the house, each step feeling like he was walking to his execution until he was outside of said laundry room. He sighed and opened the door, revealing his mother as she aggressively slammed the bristled end of a bottle of stain remover into a shirt. He was sure she was imagining that it was his head.

"Good morning, Ma," he greeted with a wince as she slammed the bottle down onto the edge of their top loading washing machine.

"Is it now?" she replied calmly, picking up the shirt and lifting the lid of said washing machine, tossing it inside.

"Ma…" he sighed, trying to keep himself from balling his hands into fists. He couldn't get angry at her. Again. He needed to apologize. "Listen...about last night…" He watched her pause, and...optimistically...he took that as a sign that she was willing to listen to him.

"I'm sorry for what I said 'n everything, Ma. I didn't mean to hurt you or nothing...I just...I needed to talk with Kagome. I think it was good for me. It's like I can finally put her behind me. Move on. I feel...freer than I have in years. I feel like I can move on with Kikyo witha clear conscious."

His mother was listening to him now. He could tell by the way her head turned ever so slightly to the side, like she was trying to hear him better. It was subtle, but he knew his mother, and that was a move of hers when she was feigning indifference.

"I feel like I can finally put everything that happened between us behind me. We talked about...how things ended last night," he confessed, and he saw her posture stiffen. "It was a good thing, I think. It hurt, but…I feel like I finally got closure, Ma."

His mother said nothing, instead picking up a bottle of detergent and pouring it into the machine before capping it.

"You know...She finally...Kagome finally told me that she didn't cheat on me."

Izayoi dropped the bottle of detergent, the cap barely clinging to the bottle keeping the liquid from pouring out.

"Ma!"

"I'm fine, Baby," she replied dismissively, picking up the bottle and shelving it in the cabinet above. She started the machine and crossed her arms under her bosom - her back still facing towards him as she took deep, calming breaths that made her whole body move with their rhythm.

"Ma?"

"What did she have to say for herself?"

Her words were calm. Quiet. A calm before a storm.

"You really want to know, Ma?" he asked cautiously - it was a mistake. He should have known better...and did the second the words left his mouth.

" _Do I really want to know?"_ she hissed through clenched teeth. "Yes, Inuyasha. I do really want to know. Maybe your memory is a bit foggy, but mine sure as hell isn't. I remember pulling you out of bed every morning to make you go shower. I remember coaxing you to come eat. I remember finding you sitting out by the crick staring into nothing.

Maybe _you_ don't seem to remember what she did to you, but I sure as hell do."

"Ma…" he sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

" _Don't_ you 'Ma' me, young man - that woman _destroyed_ you and took the better part of your youth from ya. I can still feel you clinging to me, sobbing and saying over and over again that she was pretending she cheated on ya to end things and you just didn't understand why. If she gave ya an answer, I wanna hear it. I wanna know why the hell she broke my baby!"

"She thought she really did it," he explained, sharing the details of his conversation with Kagome from the night before.

"So...that just makes everything ok with you, does it?"

"It's an explanation, Ma. It's more than what I had."

"And if she loved you half as much as you loved her, she woulda tried to make things right."

"Ma…"

"No! She coulda come back and make amends at any time. She coulda talked to ya long before now.

Now she's ready? _Now_ she wants to heal?

She's a snake in the grass, Inuyasha. She ain't up to no good and I want you to stay away from her."

"That's gonna be pretty hard since she's helping me with the house."

That was a mistake. Oh god was that a mistake...It was like...he was looking at a fire slowly consuming a house, and instead of calling the fire department, he went out, found a bottle of gasoline, and just dumped it straight into said fire.

"She's... _what?"_ his mother whispered lowly.

"I needed help with some things and she works at that fancy ass magazine and I took her to see the house and she volunteered to help pick out the paint and stuff and then I can move outta here that much sooner and give you and Pops some space and—"

"—and you'd rather ask _that woman_ for help than me? I am your _mother_. I gave _birth_ to you. I know you better than you do!"

"Well so does she!"

"Not anymore she don't! Baby...maybe she did, but she ain't the same little girl who grew up nextdoor no more. She hasn't known you, or spoken to you, in years. Why on _earth_ would you do this Inuyasha!"

"'Cause it felt right, ok? It felt…" he sighed, his body slumping. "I miss my friend, Ma. Even if I never wanted to just stay friends with her, she was my friend first, and I miss her. I...I want that again. Having her help just felt right - I can't explain it. I know it's dumb to want it...but...I do and she did and she is and...and that's the end of it, ok?"

Inuyasha watched his mother's jaw twitch for a moment before she sighed, her whole body going slack and her shoulders drooped.

"I love you Baby...but I'm not gonna be here when she hurts ya this time. You're gonna have to learn from your mistakes on your own this time round."

"It's not a mistake," he adamantly reassured her.

"We'll just see about that, won't we?"

That was a dismissal if he had ever heard one, and Inuyasha shook his head as he turned to leave, mumbling something about needing a shower and making a call to Kikyo later.

"Good - if you want to be focusing on picking paint colors with someone, ya should be doing it with Kikyo!" his mother called after him, and he winced.

He liked Kikyo.

He did.

But...there was something about working on this with her that just...it didn't feel right. It wasn't that she didn't have good taste or anything. It was just that...Oh hell, he didn't know. It just didn't feel right. That's what he knew.

And he always listened to his gut when it was screaming at him.

Inuyasha lethargically made his way up the stairs to his room, his footfalls heavy on each step as he climbed up. He felt so drained after the latest round with his mother, and now he was desperate for a shower _and_ a nap.

He pushed the door to his room open and swung his bag off of his shoulder, opening it so he could unpack his snacks for later. What he hadn't expected to see...were the articles of clothing laying on top.

There, above the marshmallows and half eaten tube of pringles, sat Kagome's wrinkled, beer soaked shirt...and above that, her bra.

"Aw fuck," he swore, running his hand across his eyes. They had been so caught up in their awkward goodbyes, that it hadn't even occurred to them that hey...maybe they were forgetting something? Like her _bra_?

This was great.

Just fucking great.

He had to find a way to get this back to her now without being awkward about the whole thing...Was it even possible to increase the level of awkwardness they felt around each other now?

He sighed, removing the shirt and undergarment from his bag, his thumb absently running across the lacy fabric.

Why the hell had she worn a lacy bra anyways? And in his favorite color?

Was she...maybe hoping…that he would see it?

No. That was stupid.

He wasn't going to read into this.

He opened his bag and angrily shoved it back inside. Who gave a shit. Her bra, her choice. It probably meant nothing, and he wasn't gonna pretend that she wanted anything from him anymore.

They were just…gonna act professional around each other from now on. Maybe find friendship again. Alla this? This was just a giant mistake and misunderstanding, and the next time he saw her, he was gonna deal with it.

Maybe he should give her back that shirt he had under his bed too.

No point in holding onto it anymore, right? He sure as hell didn't need it anymore.

Yeah.

That was exactly what he was gonna do.

* * *

"Oh good! I'm glad I caught you before you left," Kagome beamed, trotting down the wooden steps, closed laptop in hand. He had come in for a glass of water before heading back to his family's ranch to help look after the cattle there. It was hot as fuck out today - a fine sheen of sweat clung to him like a second skin, and he was already itching to shower.

"Yeah - just wanted to grab some water before I head out," he smiled sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "It's hot out today."

"Oh...I know. My room is a sweatbox!" She laughed nervously, bringing her laptop under her breasts as she crossed her arms.

It only served as a reminder that he had yet to return her shirts...or bra...

It was still sitting in his backpack in his room. Every time he entered, it was like the fucking thing was looking at him, daring him to open it and peak inside at the lacy red fabric. He didn't though. He didn't need to imagine it against her skin, or the way her pink nipples must look against the red fabric…

"I thought we could look at some photos of lights before you left? I'll keep it quick, I promise. I just...wanted to get an idea what you'd like so I can do a little research on stores with that in mind."

"Yeah...I have a few minutes I can spare," he nodded, allowing her to lead him into the kitchen.

"Great! My editors have been eating you up by the way. Your whole story...they want more of it and are dying for me to start working on this. Do you happen to have any photos of the house when you began working on it?"

"I'm sure I have some on my phone…"

"Hmmm...better than nothing," Kagome murmured, placing the computer down on the kitchen table as he moved to the cabinets, taking out a glass to fill with ice and some water.

"Ya want some?" he paused, hand still on the open cabinet, craning his head to look at her. What he saw on her computer screen surprised him - he felt his eyes widen and his breath catch in his throat. She had his Facebook page pulled up, photos of him over the years stared back at them.

"Yeah - that would be great," she called back, moving her finger along the pad to close the screen, but he caught her hand before she could. Funny. He didn't even remember moving across the room, standing behind her.

"What's this," he pressed, feigning indifference.

"Nothing," she blushed. "I was doing research!"

"Dating back to 2015?"

"I was trying to see if I could figure out more about your taste!"

"By going through photos from 2015?" he replied, a thick brow raising as his tongue kissed his teeth. "I think ya deep dived, Kagome."

"I did not!" she sputtered, trying to move her hand to close his facebook page.

"You absolutely did!" he smirked, delighting in her embarrassment. He pulled her hands up to her chest, safely keeping them away from his mouse as he leaned over her shoulder.

"I didn't!" She insisted, a sweet blush dusting her features. God she looked so cute…

"Uh huh...sure ya didn't. Did ya see anything ya liked, Higurashi?"

"I didn't find anything helpful, if that's what you mean," she snapped back, and his grin only widened.

"Huh. Took ya till ya reached 2015 to figure that out?"

"I thought you might have had something useful up!"

"I probably do...you just can't see it 'cause we aren't friends," he mused, absently wondering how often she went onto his page, looking at photos of him over the years.

Making a split second decision, Inuyasha moved his hand across her mouse and hit the add friend button, and he felt her go completely still.

"There. Maybe that will help ya with your 'research'."

"How generous of you…"

"I thought so," he snorted, his thumb absently rubbing her arm.

He heard her swallow before she breathed his name, and he pulled away from her, mumbling something about getting them that water they wanted.

"S-sounds good," she replied, moving her hair behind her ears before she inhaled deeply. Almost as if she were trying to calm her nerves.

"Nervous," he asked, placing the glass of water beside her as he pulled a chair up next to her. He turned it around so the back was facing the table, and swung his leg around the seat, leaning an arm over its back as he sat.

"A little…" she admitted, pushing her hair behind her ears. "Is it weird? I'm worried you aren't going to like what I found…Or that you're going to change your mind...Or that—"

He placed his hand over her mouth, and watched her raise her brows at him.

"Stop...Just...stop worrying and show me what ya got, ok?"

"Ok."

* * *

A/N:

I know it's been a while…but…Guess what? I have through chapter 17 of this done, and I'm halfway done with chapter 18. Everyone go thank UnderwaterOphelia because I 100% whored myself out for early snippets of her fic Vices on AO3 in exchange for deep diving on this one. I have no shame. I'll admit it. You should also read it.

_**Chapter 14 is due to be released publicly on Aug 11, but you can catch teasers and find out how to read it early on my tumblr!** _

Till next time!

-LL


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

_Chapter 14_

"Hey um...thanks for the ride, Inuyasha."

He merely nodded his head at her, taking a sip of his coffee. She had drug him to some town two hours away for a light store.

 _A light store_.

 _Because they needed to look at them in person_.

What the hell had he gotten himself into? Other than apparently spending his day with the woman...A part of him had been looking forward to this all week. Hell...he even woke up earlier than normal to shower and shave before picking her up. And yes...He did offer to drive. Didn't make much sense for the two of them to go separately when the joint was _two fucking hours away_. But. That was the part that made him apprehensive as fuck.

Two hours in the car...with Kagome Higurashi.

It hadn't been...bad...Maybe a little awkward at first, but then he just turned on Garth Brooks and the two of them were singing and laughing their heads off like it was old times. Or...almost old times, at least. He didn't know if things would ever be the same between them, but that car ride had been...nice, if nothing else.

He parked down the block from the light store, and as soon as they were out of the car, Kagome was dragging him to a Starbucks.

He was just gonna get a cup of coffee - black, of course - but she had insisted on buying him breakfast so…

Here they were. Him eating his breakfast wrap, while she was going to town on these little egg things with her caramel venti frapi something or other that had a pound of whip cream on it.

"Least I could do," he mumbled, taking another sip of his coffee. "Only made sense - heading out this way anyways."

"I know...but still," she smiled shyly, running her fingers up and down the side of her iced coffee, playing with the beads of condensation on the side of the glass. He absently watched her fingers...the way she tenderly brushed them against the glass...For a second he found himself remembering what those fingers felt like across his heated skin. How they used to tease him in the same way when he stood hard and proud before her. He wondered if it would still feel the same as he remembered it...

"Interested?" She asked, making his gaze snap from her fingers to her eyes.

"Huh?"

He blinked slowly, his mind trying to process what she was asking. There was no way she knew what he had been thinking...It was just...too coincidental…

Fuck...and...what the hell had he been thinking? What the hell was wrong with him? They had one conversation. One time. To try and mend broken bridges…

Their bridges were never going to be that mended again. No way in hell. He was just...Hard up. Only explanation for it. Hard up and insane.

"In trying," she clarified, drawing his attention back to her. He watched as she picked up her cup and tilted it from side to side, the ice cubes softly tapping against each other with the motion. "You might like it."

He eyed it warily for a moment before reaching out and taking the cup, sipping from the straw.

The sweet taste of caramel and sugar struck his tastebuds, drowning out the bitterness of the coffee he was so used to.

"Oh my god - it's so damn sweet! How can ya drink it?" he pressed, wrinkling his nose as he handed the cup back to her. Kagome's mirthful laugh filled the air as she took it, placing it back onto the metal bench's surface.

"Easily! I don't think of it as coffee - just...sweet caffeine."

"Sweet caffeine huh…"

Well if she put it that way…

He snatched the glass back from her, ignoring her yelp of indignation. She tried to grab it from him, but he just held a hand to her shoulder, keeping her and her searching fingers at arms length, away from the cup. Inuyasha took another long drink, scrunching his face in thought before taking another smaller sip.

"Yash! Leave some for me!" she whined - an empty, hollow complaint. He knew that tone. God...She used to sound just like that when he was teasing her as a kid, just before he kissed her.

And then...then she called him _Yash_...

It was all too much. He felt his whole body freeze - his heart beating painfully in his chest.

Yash…

"I...Sorry, Inuyasha."

He wordlessly placed the cup down in front of her, picking up his own as he tried to wash away the feelings in his chest. Tried to ignore the erratic beating of his heart.

"It's fine, Kagome. Just—"

"—I know. I...Sorry," she mumbled, looking down at her lap. "Guess I forgot for a second. It felt almost like…"

She didn't need to finish her sentence. There was no point.

He felt it too.

And he found his heart wishing that they were old times.

Or that the old times had just...never stopped.

"So," he coughed, trying to dispel the awkwardness that had fallen over them at her unintentional gaff. "I think you're right. It's not bad if ya don't think of it as coffee. 'Cause that ain't coffee."

"Y-yeah," she agreed, taking another sip from it. "Just...some really sweet caffeine."

"Yeah," he agreed, his spine snapping upright as his phone began ringing in his pocket, the generic ringtone blessedly interrupting whatever... _this_ was. "Hey, is it—"

"—Yeah! Please…" she awkwardly encouraged, gesturing with her hands that it was fine.

He had no idea who was on the other end of this call, but frankly, even if it was a scammer he was picking up. Just to try and break out of whatever had just happened between them.

Inuyasha quickly stood from the bench, striding over to a tree a good distance away and slipped his phone out of his pocket. Kikyo's name flashed across the screen, and he felt a wave of guilt crash into him...He just didn't know why.

He pushed those feelings off to the side and slid his thumb across the screen, picking up.

"Hey you," he greeted cheerfully. Or at least he helped it was cheerful and not slightly panicked. Why was he even feeling panicked? Fuck his emotions were all over the place since…

" _Yash…"_

God...it sounded so sweet hearing that word from Kagome's lips. Sweet and painful. He knew it was an accident. He _knew_ she didn't mean to do it...so why did it fucking hurt so much?

" _Inuyasha!"_ Kikyo warmly greeted, and he tried to focus on the woman on the other end of the phone, instead of the one twenty feet away from him, looking guilty and like she was baratinging herself from here to New York and back.

"Hey you," he repeated, turning away from Kagome to try and pay attention to Kikyo. "What's up?"

" _Oh not much...Just finished up some gardening at the church, and now I'm hot and sweaty and totally disgusting...I was going to take a bath in a few minutes…"_

"Oh…" Inuyasha coughed, trying to clear his throat. "Well, that's very nice of you to help the church out with that Kikyo."

" _It was nothing!"_ she laughed airily. _"I just wish it wasn't so darn hot out...Hold on...let me put you on speaker while I get ready for that bath…"_

Inuyasha knew that he wasn't always the brightest bulb in the box, but he _did_ know what she was trying to do, and he didn't know how he felt about that.

" _Hey, sorry about that,"_ she purred into the phone. _"You wouldn't believe how good a bubble bath feels after spending all that time working in the garden...getting all sweaty…Mmm…"_ she moaned, and he found himself turning around and looking at Kagome as his throat constricted.

He couldn't be doing... _this_ right now…

"Well Kikyo, it sounds like you're having a very productive morning—"

"— _I am. I feel..._ amazing _from all of that...hard work. Are you working_ hard _today, Inuyasha?"_

"I…" He swallowed, trying to find the words to diffuse the situation without offending her or hurting her. He just...They hadn't even slept together yet, and she was trying to—

" _You sound awfully strained, Inuyasha. Are you having a_ hard _day?"_

Lord have mercy on his soul…

"Kikyo—"

"— _I...sent you a little something to help with that,"_ she continued, her voice slightly hesitant as he heard his phone chime and felt it vibrate.

It was a text.

Oh god.

Ooooh god...Oh god oh god oh god…

He pulled his phone away from his face, closing his eyes and sighing. He was both curious and afraid to look. Like when you squished a bug under a rock. Did he wanna see whatever... _this_ was? Well, of course! He was...well...she wasn't his girlfriend or nothing, but he _was_ still dating her, and he was...Look. He was a man, ok? He was curious!

But here...now...with Kagome right over there…

He could feel his thumb twitch, as if it wanted to tap on the messages. Get rid of that big ol' unread red circle. See what was on the other side of that text…

" _Did you get it?"_

He could hear the nervousness creeping into her voice, and he honestly didn't know what to do anymore.

"I'mnothomerightnow," he finally blurted out, his words becoming all jumbled together into a slurred mess as the mounting pressure became too much.

" _I...Sorry?"_

"I'm not home right now, Kikyo," he tried again, a bit more calmly, his heart still racing a bit in his chest from sheer panic over the situation. "I'm sorry, Kikyo, I...Listen—"

"— _Oh! No...it...was silly of me to just...assume…"_ she replied, her voice strained, and he could tell that she was unraveling a bit on the other side of the phone right now. She had really put herself out there...was trying ta start something with him...and he just… _"I should really let you go...if you aren't home."_

"Kikyo!" He tried again. "Listen...I...I'm out doing some shopping for ma house. Really...I'm in Brooksville."

" _...That's...a good two hours out…Why…?"_

"I'm going to a lighting store," he sighed. "Look...don't...get me started on it, I just...It ain't a good time, Kikyo. I...I'm sorry. If I were home…"

" _No! It's...I shouldn't have assumed. I just thought...Jeeze...I'm really dumb, aren't I? Making assumptions…"_

Well...He didn't want to argue that, exactly, but he could hear the tears in her voice. Fuck!

"Hey...What are ya doing tonight?" he asked softly, his voice warm and soothing.

" _Nothing...I was going to go to my parents house for dinner. Check in with them."_

"Do ya...maybe wanna...grab a drink later? If ya have the time after your parents?"

" _...Will you be back in time for that?"_

"Yeah. I don't think this will take all day."

" _I...I'd like that, Inuyasha."_

He could hear the smile in her voice again, and he felt himself relax a little in response.

"Me too…"

" _Do you...maybe want to come to my place for it?"_ she asked hopefully, and he found himself internally swearing and glancing back over at Kagome. Her drink was empty now, and she was chewing on her nail as she looked through her phone. Whatever she was doing...she was in deep thought...completely focused on that, and that alone. She used to chew on her thumb nail when she was a kid too when they were studying for math class.

The amount of times he ended up sucking on _her_ thumb after because she chewed her nails down to stubs…

"I can't, Kikyo. I...Shit, I wish I could say this ta ya in person...but...I don't think I'm... _ready_ for that yet, ya know?" he confessed, watching Kagome run her fingers through her bangs. "I just...This sounds so fuckin' stupid, but I want us to be more than... _this_ before we go there, ya know?"

" _It doesn't sound stupid, Inuyasha,"_ she murmured into the phone. Her voice was still slightly disappointed but… _"I think it's romantic. I didn't know you could be such a sweetheart."_

"I'm not a sweetheart," he grumbled into the phone, and Kikyo giggled in response.

" _I think you are. You aren't like most guys I've ever been with. You aren't jumping into bed with me at the first opportunity…"_

Because it just...didn't feel right.

"Yeah," he swallowed thickly. "I guess not…" Kagome glanced up at him, and their eyes met. His heart lodged itself in his throat, and he shifted his gaze away from hers, unable to hold those beautiful cerulean eyes of hers. "Listen, I...I'm gonna go so I can wrap this up and get back sooner," he began thickly. "I'll see ya tanight?"

" _I'm looking forward to it, Inuyasha._ "

He pulled the phone away from his head and resisted the urge to grab his hair and pull. What the hell was _wrong_ with him? One minute, he was fantasizing about... _things_ , and the next, when the opportunity was all but _shoved into his face_ , he was saying _no thank you_.

_No thank you!_

"Fuck me," he groaned, rolling his head back onto his shoulders. Why was everything inside him telling him to just... _not_. Not with Kikyo...No matter how hard up he might be, doing that with her just...It didn't feel right, right now. It felt like...If he had sex with Kikyo, it felt like he would be using her just for her body, and that didn't sit right with him.

His hand was good enough until whatever this... _feeling_ was that he was having went away.

And, for that matter, the fuck _was_ this feeling...

He sighed and pocketed his phone as he walked back over to Kagome, wanting to just...put the whole matter behind him for now. Worrying and thinking about this wasn't gonna help anyone, especially him.

"Hey...everything ok?" Kagome asked, her voice falsely chipper.

"Yeah...Just Kikyo," he mumbled, and her smile became a bit more strained.

"Oh...well...Everything ok?" she asked again, and he really had to give her credit for all of... _this._ The fake smile, fake cheerfulness...She...she didn't like it, but she was trying. He could tell she wanted to be happy for him and support this.

"Yeah, everything's fine," he sighed, picking up his coffee and staring into it for a moment. For the briefest of seconds, he felt his mouth moving to tell her about the text and Kikyo's attempt at phone sex...but he caught himself. He didn't know _why_ some part of him thought that was a good idea - she might be his "friend", but she was still his _ex-fiance_. Telling her was just…

A poor life choice all around.

"We're gonna meet up for a drink when we're done here today."

"Rusty Bucket?"

"Yeah…"

"Huh…" she mused, her fingers absently playing with the side of the glass.

"Huh?"

"Huh."

So they were playing that game, eh?

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing!" she replied defensively, and for some reason, it only raised his hackles that much more. It sure as hell didn't mean nothing, that was for certain.

"Kagome…"

"I...Look," she sighed, beginning to move the straw up and down in the cup. The scratching sound drove him crazy and set his teeth on edge, and he took her hand off of it, holding it on the metal bench's top.

She glanced down at their hands for a second before looking up into his face, and he mumbled out an explanation about the sound.

"Oh...sorry," she smiled sheepishly, and he told her it was nothing.

"Just…What were ya saying? Why is the Rusty Bucket bad? There another bar in town I suddenly don't know about?"

"I just...I would have assumed, that if you're getting a drink together, and you've been dating for... _awhile_ now...that perhaps you wouldn't get it... _there_."

"Where else would we go?" he pressed, his eyes narrowing slightly. Where on earth was she headed with this?

"Somewhere a bit more...private?"

"Such as?"

"Her place comes to mind," she mumbled, shifting her eyes away from his.

Inuyasha pursed his lips, slightly baffled that everyone in his life thought that he should just be...plowing Kikyo. Well, _surprise!_ He didn't wanna do that yet! Was it _that_ hard to believe that he didn't just...wanna fucking jump into bed with her? Was it really that shocking that maybe he wanted a sturdier relationship first?

"First of all, it's none of your business where we get a drink," he started slowly, because dammit...it wasn't!

"I know—"

"—Second of all," he interrupted. "Since you did bring it up...and this seems to be a hot topic of conversation today…I don't plan on _'getting a drink'_ at her place for a while."

She looked flabbergasted - her mouth slightly dropped open and her brows shot to her hairline. Her eyes...those big, beautiful blue eyes...were larger and wider than usual.

"Close ya mouth, Higurashi. You're gonna let all of the flies in."

"I just...I... _why?_ "

"None of your business," he shrugged. And it wasn't. He didn't owe her an answer.

She opened her mouth again, as if she had a question, and snapped it shut again, shaking her head and shouldering her bag.

"You're right. I'm sorry I intruded. Are you ready to go?"

He looked down at his cup of coffee and quickly downed the rest before nodding and rising to his feet.

"Yeah - let's look at some lights."

* * *

Inuyasha didn't know what he was expecting when he walked into a lighting store...but...well...shit, he had 0 expectations when talking into the damn store, honestly...but feeling like he was gonna go blind wasn't something he had expected.

"Shoulda brought my sunglasses," he mumbled, as Kagome set hers on her head. She raised a brow at him in slight confusion before understanding crossed her face, and she took her pair off her head.

"Here...want to borrow mine?"

"They're women's glasses," he mumbled and she rolled her eyes.

"Aviators are gender neutral...but if you really don't want them, I'm sure we can ask John to turn some of the lights off."

John? Who the fuck was _John?_

"Speaking of the devil," she smiled warmly as a balding man in his late fifties appeared. He had a full white beard and round belly. All the man was missing was the cherry cheeks, and he could have been a mall santa. "You must be John!"

"And you must be Miss Kagome," the man replied, flashing her a toothy smile. Inuyasha swore he had to be a mall santa in the winter. He _had_ to be. He just needed him to laugh...

"Yes," she beamed. "It's a pleasure to meet you...This is Inuyasha," she introduced, placing a hand on his back between his shoulder blades. He didn't think she even noticed that she did it. She just... _did_ it. He could feel the heat of her skin permeating the material of his tshirt, and did his best to ignore it.

"I've heard a lot about you," the man smiled, offering Inuyasha a hand. He hesitantly took it, and shot him a nervous smile.

"I'm sorry...I've heard nothing about you," he replied, and Kagome blushed sweetly.

"That's my fault," she apologised. "John here owns the store. We've been in touch."

She needed to be in touch with a guy at a lighting store? That made no sense...it was a store. With light fixtures.

"He's agreed to let me write about our time and experience here, and the lights you pick for your house, in exchange for selling them at cost to you," she explained nervously, and he felt his gut twist.

He didn't know how he felt about that, honestly.

And she could see it on his face.

"John, would you mind turning off some of these lights?" Kagome asked, turning back to the man. "It's a bit bright for Inuyasha, he's getting a bit of a headache from it. We're going to step outside for a moment so he can readjust."

"Of course," John beamed. "It's not a problem at all. You two take your time," he encouraged, receding back into the depths of the store.

"Kagome—"

"—Outside," she whispered, turning around and leading him back out the front door to the store.

When the door closed behind him, she rounded on him, arms crossed under her breasts as she pinned him with a hard look.

"Why are you suddenly against this?"

"I haven't even said two words yet!"

"You don't have to - I know you, Inuyasha. What's wrong with buying your lights at cost?"

"It…"

"It _what_?"

"It just...it don't feel right, ok? I...I ain't some charity case," he mumbled, shifting his eyes away from hers.

Kagome inhaled deeply before slowly exhaling, as if she were trying to calm herself.

"Inuyasha, no one here thinks that. No one here ever thought that. This is just...how things are done. When people are written about for magazines...or blogs of notoriety...it's not unheard of for them to offer certain...perks as a thank you. I'm about to bring a lot of business in for John. I'm writing that you and I came _here_. To _his store_ and bought something from his stock. He was about to give away some of his lights, but I told him you wouldn't like that for this exact reason," she finished, her voice becoming softer the longer she spoke. He could tell that she was still a little frustrated, but…

"Guess you really do still know me, huh?" he smiled weakly, and she returned it, running her fingers along the strap of her purse.

"Some things never change," she whispered, shrugging and shifting her gaze off to the side.

"Yeah…"

"Inuyasha, if you really don't want to do this, I won't make you. Hell, John won't either...but...Look. Think of this not as charity or whatever, but rather, as earning them at like, half off a different way. You're going through this process for me and for the magazine. You're letting me follow you around, take your picture, allowing it to be in the magazine...You're working for us and for him. This is how we're going to pay you...With a massive discount so you can get some _really_ nice lights for your amazing home…"

When she put it like that...It...actually didn't sit as badly with him. He _was_ still buying them...and it wasn't like he hadn't gotten those countertops any different…

Well…

Maybe that was a bit different...those had already been paid for in full…So he didn't feel like the owners were getting stiffed. And they were the ones who had said that they were free…

"Yeah. You're right," he mumbled, his lips twitching up at the corners.

"...I'm sorry, could you say that a bit louder?" she teased, and he rolled his eyes at her.

"I said you're right."

"I'm sorry...just a _bit_ louder…"

"I swear Higurashi," he laughed, pulling her towards him and ruffling her hair. She squealed and hit his chest, trying to wiggle out of his arms, but he just held her a bit tighter instead.

"Inuyasha!" she whined, smacking his pectorals as he laughed at her.

"What...Something the matter?"

She just glared at him, and he rolled his eyes.

"Fine! I'll fix it," he sighed dramatically, running his fingers through her hair to smooth it again, and he felt her melt in his arms as his claws brushed against her scalp. God she still smelled so damn good...And her hair...he didn't remember it feeling like silk, but fuck if it didn't now...It felt nice, running his fingers through it. It wasn't until after he noticed John reappear in the windows that he realized what he was doing.

Breathing her in.

Running his fingers through her hair.

Holding her tightly.

So tightly, he could feel every inch of her body pressed firmly against his.

He pulled away from her, coughing awkwardly, and mumbled that they should go in and start shopping.

"Yeah," she agreed, allowing him to open the door for her as she pushed her hair back behind her ears.

He needed to get a hold of himself.

He took a deep breath, following her back inside the store. It wasn't as bright as it was before, and now he could actually make out what he was looking at. Lights hanging from every nook and cranny of the giant establishment. Concrete floors reflected the light back upwards, while tags hung down from the lights.

"Good lord," he mumbled under his breath. There were so many more options here than the hardware store, that was for sure.

"Hey," she began softly, pulling his attention away from the overwhelming scene before him and back to the small woman beside him. "Are you ok?"

"It's a lot," he replied, running his fingers through his hair.

"Didn't think there could be so many, huh?"

"Not even a little…" He hadn't really been able to see the scope of the place before but...fuck. He would be lying if he said he wasn't suddenly feeling the pressure. He felt like he was drowning and didn't know where to start.

Kagome smiled sweetly at him, and he felt his heart race a little in his chest.

"Don't stress," she soothed, taking his hand and giving it a light squeeze. "We're just going to wander around and take it one room at a time, ok?"

"Yeah," he breathed. "Ok."

"Ok then," she comforted, running the pad of her thumb over his knuckles and he held her hand a bit tighter, giving her a reassuring squeeze to silently tell her thank you. For being there for him. For helping him. For doing alla _this_ for _him_.

She smiled brightly back at him, and reached into her purse, taking out a DSLR camera.

"Why don't we just...meander around. If you see something you like we'll talk and discuss, ok?"

He nodded, letting her lead him by the hand as they looked at everything. Pendant lights, chandeliers, sconces...modern, classic, rustic...Had he mentioned how overwhelmed he felt by it all? And yet...Kagome said nothing. She allowed him to set the pace, look at each one in his own time.

"What do ya think about this?" he asked, pointing up at a smokey grey pendant light. The base of the light was shaped like a mushroom cap, and it was suspended by a thin, black metal rod. Inside, it was lit up by an edison bulb.

"Where would you put it?" she asked, turning to him as he scratched the back of his head with the hand not still holding hers.

"Bedroom?"

"I think it's too modern," she replied, wrinkling her nose.

"Dining room?"

"You need something bigger."

"How 'bout this - do ya think it would look good _anywhere_?"

"...No?"

"Then why don't ya lead with that?" he smirked, his eyes dancing in amusement as she flushed with embarrassment.

"Well...You just...Looked so hopeful…"

"Yeah but you're here to help me pick out shit that works, remember?"

"I know," she smiled weakly. "It _is_ nice though...in the right setting."

"Just not in ma house…"

"It's too...modern but rustic. I could see your dining room with something more like…" she trailed off, craning her head to look around the store. Finally she saw something and excitedly pulled him off to examine the mystery light closer.

"What about something like this?" she pressed, standing under a large wire framed light. The shape reminded him of a wrought iron bird house, honestly, and nothing covered the bulbs from view.

"This," he replied, tilting his head to the side. It was... _huge._ Like... _massive_.

"Yeah...Do you not like it?"

"I...I dunno," he replied honestly. "It's... _big_."

"You need big."

" _This_ big?"

"It's a large room!"

"That's 'cause I…" he snapped his mouth shut, a blush rising over his cheeks, and Kagome turned to shoot him a strange look.

"Because you…" she prodded gently and he found himself looking down at his feet.

"I wanted it to be big enough for a large family," he mumbled. "Big enough for the kids and me and the Mrs and the grandparents…Wanted to be able to put them all at one table for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter...Birthdays and stuff..."

He glanced back up at the light, refusing to look at her.

"Ya think it's big enough for that room? Not _too_ big?"

"Yeah," she replied thickly, the smell of regret radiating off of her. "I think it's perfect."

"Then let's do this one."

"Ok then," she nodded, her voice falsely chipper as she turned on her camera, releasing his hand for the first time since they had reentered the store. Inuyasha watched as she stood under the light, cupping the tag in her hand as she took a photo of it, and then several of the light fixture itself.

She looked silly with her face screwed up as she concentrated on taking the shot. So deep in concentration.

It was too easy.

He snuck behind her, reaching his hands out to slowly inch closer to her sides while she was preoccupied. He heard her take one last photo, and then he struck, his fingers attacking her sides. She squealed loudly as he tickled her, the sound of her laughter echoing off the walls around them. Kagome struggled in his grasp, trying to wiggle free, pleading for him to stop, but he had her trapped in his arms. She wasn't going anywhere any time soon. She collapsed against him, her body trembling against his as her head rolled back onto his shoulder, and he couldn't help but smile at her.

Couldn't help trying to remember the last time his heart had felt this…

 _Happy_ and _light_.

The thought made the smile on his face falter, and he slowly stopped tickling her, allowing her to catch her breath.

"Inuyasha," she breathed, her body limp in his arms. "Why…?"

"'Cause I wanted to," he shrugged, already regretting it.

"Jerk," she mumbled, her eyes teasing as she pealed out of his arms. "Come on. Pose with this thing for me, will you? I need to get some shots of you with the lights too."

"I don't see why ya need that," he grumbled, standing under the light and crossing his arms over his chest. Kagome just rolled her eyes at him and sighed.

"Come on, Inuyasha. Try and look a bit happier than that."

He grimaced and she smirked, shaking her head.

"You really aren't going to make this easy for me, huh?"

"I hate getting my picture taken," he mumbled and her smile softened. He really only did it when the "adults" asked him to do it...otherwise he had always tended to shy away from cameras.

"Just a few - humor me. I'll buy you lunch!"

"We're gonna be here long enough for lunch?" he pressed, raising a brow and he could smell the nervousness radiating off of her. "Higurashi, what did you do…"

"...Don't be mad…"

"Oh hell…"

"Please?"

"Tell me what ya did first?"

"...Made an appointment with a tile guy?"

He groaned and rolled his head back onto his shoulders.

"Fuck...we're really doing this all day, huh?"

"I figured you'd rather get it all over with at once rather than doing this piecemeal! It means that…" she snapped her mouth shut, dropping her gaze to the floor.

"It means _what_?" he pressed, hooking his fingers under her chin and forcing her to look at him.

"...That you can spend less time with me, if we did it this way," she winced, and he felt his eyes soften.

"Kagome…"

She wasn't wrong. And maybe before today, he would have liked that idea...but…

"...What if I don't want to spend less time with you?"

He watched her chew the inside of her lip, her eyes hopeful.

"...What if I don't want to spend less time with you, too? I...I like getting to know who you are now," she admitted softly.

He felt a smile stretch across his face, and he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Well...I like getting to know you too."

She blushed sweetly and glanced away from him before bringing her camera back up to her chest.

"Well. Do we have a deal? Lunch is on me if you actually pose for some of the photos? _Nicely?"_

"...Wait. We're still going to the store?"

"We're in the neighborhood."

He bit the inside of his mouth to keep from sighing.

This was all happening one way or another, wasn't it? He may as well just suck it up and do it.

Inuyasha relaxed his hands at his side and smiled under the light, internally wincing as she snapped a few photos of him with it.

"Can you maybe stand off to the side?" she prompted, flipping back through them, and he moved a bit to the right. He slipped his hands into his pockets and smiled again, but she wasn't too crazy about it.

"Don't like 'em? We can skip it."

"No...I need something...None of them look that great though."

"Gee thanks…"

"It's not _you_ ," she sighed. "It's the composition."

"Well...do you maybe…" he began, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he jumped, kneeling down onto one knee and holding his hands out, gesturing towards the light. _"Need me to take up more room?"_

She laughed, and actually snapped a few photos of him like that before he lifted his arms into the air, pointing towards the light.

"Does this have a better composition?"

"Try going down on both knees," she snickered, and he did, lowering the second to the concrete. He widened his arms, keeping them pointed towards the light before laying down on his stomach and kicking his legs up into the air, resting his chin on propped up arms.

"Better?"

"It would be if you had a bearskin rug," she smirked, still taking his photo anyways.

"Oh you didn't tell me you were after that kinda photo, Higurashi," he grinned, laying onto his side and resting his left arm along the length of his body. His right propped his head up as he bent a knee inwards, and she shook her head at him.

Still, he heard the echo of the shutter as she snapped the photo.

"Ok you...off the ground," she giggled. "I can't with you today."

"You're the one who said ya didn't like the photo composition!"

Her laughter made him smile.

"Ok...How about a few more serious ones," he replied, shoving his hands back into his pockets and smirking. He could feel the tip of his fang poking out the corner of his mouth as the shutter snapped, and when she was done, she grabbed his hand again and they kept meandering through the store.

When they finally left, having picked out all the lights for his house, he knew deep down that doing this with her was the best decision of his life.

* * *

A/N: Thank you as always to everyone who has read and reviewed this fic! It means the WORLD to me!

_**Chapter 15 is due to be released publicly on Sept 8, but you can catch teasers and find out how to read it early on my tumblr!** _

Till next time!

-LL


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 15

Kagome sighed as she leaned back against the seat of Inuyasha's car - the driver's door shutting as he got behind the wheel and buckled in, before attaching his phone to the air vent. That was a hell of a day and she was _exhausted_. She hadn't _meant_ to do all that they had...but...well…

Things sort of snowballed, and he didn't exactly say _no_ to it anyways…

They picked out all of his lights, then she treated him to lunch at a local burger joint...Lunch turned into walking through the tile store she had mentioned...which turned into picking out back splashes for his kitchen and tiles for his bathroom and what have you...And when they were finally done with that...He decided to take her out for dinner as a thank you.

Now she was stuffed and exhausted and couldn't remember a time when she had felt more…

Happy.

Was that weird to say? That she was happy?

She had thought she was, all these years. Had thought she had found it after him, but…

Maybe she had just been lying to herself as she tried to move on with her life. It was a hard pill to swallow, but when John had commented on how sweet a couple they were, they hadn't exactly denied it. They _had been_ , at one point, and...for the briefest of moments, it felt like everything was fine again.

Even if they weren't.

God that had been a moment though. They had just finished finding all of the lights they had picked out...well...she had picked out? It was a little strange - Inuyasha didn't really fight her too much on what she thought would look good in there. He kept saying "I trust ya" and "If ya think it will look good in there, then let's just do that one". Regardless, they hunted down John, and let him tell them a bit about the lights Inuyasha was interested in. When Inuyasha kept looking back to her for approval or input, the man chuckled and said, "You're a smart man, looking to her. Take it from me - it's always best to let the wife do what she wants. Happy wife, happy life is a saying for a reason, son. You're a sweet young couple though - I haven't seen a pair so smitten in years."

They must have looked like fish after that...But they didn't say anything. It was too awkward and...again. It _was_ true that they _had_ been a couple...once. Besides...John gave all of the lights to Inuyasha at a _very_ generous price, and who were they to argue?

"Hey, thanks for dinner again," Kagome smiled as Inuyasha started up the car, shifting it into drive.

"Thanks for your help," he replied, taking her hand and giving it a light squeeze. "Was a hell of a day...I don't think I could have done it without ya or gotten as much done without your help."

"Yes you would have," she replied, turning in her seat to look at his handsome profile. "You just would have done it with someone else."

"Someone else who doesn't have your eye," he smirked, quickly glancing at her before returning his attention to the road.

"Oh come now...Your mom has a lovely eye…"

"Do I need to remind you of her cabbage teapot?"

"With the vegetable tea cups? Oh my god I forgot about those!"

"Yeah...family heirloom my ass," he mumbled and she laughed at that.

"What, not quite your taste?"

"I don't think they should be _anyone's_ taste, Kagome."

"Well...it's your mother's…"

"And that'd be why she didn't come with me for this."

Kagome smiled, settling back into her seat as they reached the edge of the city, the wide-open road looming before them.

"So...when I get home I'm going to look over all of the photos I took today, and then I'm going to start on the article. Should have something done by Friday latest, if you want to read it before I send it off to my editor…"

"Do...you...want me to?" he asked hesitantly, shifting his eyes away from the road for a moment to look at her. The irises of his golden eyes glowed faintly in the dark light, and felt herself getting lost in them. She'd always loved his eyes...how ethereal they are…

"Only if you want to...Since it's about _you_ and _your house_. You don't have to if-"

"-I'd like that," he smiled shyly at her. "I've always liked your writing, Kagome. You know that. Been reading your stories since we were kids."

"Until I left."

He didn't reply for a moment, his eyes shifting back to the road before them as the silence became heavy.

"Even after you left," he finally whispered, and she felt her heart jump into her throat.

"You…"

"Kagome Higurashi isn't exactly a hard name to Google, ya know," he confessed. "I read your stuff from time to time when you were in college, working for your paper. Then your internship. Then your job…"

"Have you...been keeping tabs on me?"

He ground his teeth together, keeping his eyes planted firmly on the road before them as the darkness surrounded them. Nothing but wide, flat, empty roads before them.

"Love of my life, Higurashi," he whispered. "Yeah. I kept tabs on ya, from time to time...more often after we first split. Then less over the years. Occasionally on anniversaries, I'd find myself looking at your linkedin page. Reading your articles with a beer or two beside me. I think I hated myself, to do that…It made ya feel closer though..."

"Inuyasha…"

"So anyways," he coughed, clearing his throat. "Yeah. Send it my way. I'd like ta read it, if you're offering."

"I…"

How did she respond to that? To know that despite everything, he had kept an eye on her? Read her stuff? Just to feel closer to her? To maybe fill in the giant hole she had left in his heart. God she hated herself. To have done everything she had to him…

He hurt her too though.

A small voice in the depths of her brain was screaming at her to remember all of the pain he had caused her too. The sleepless, tear filled nights, even before they broke up. The pressure he had put on her shoulders…

His phone lit up with a text from Kikyo, snapping her thoughts out of the direction they were headed down.

"Hey," he coughed awkwardly. "Would ya mind looking at that and telling me what she said?"

"Sure," she nodded, grabbing the phone off of the magnetic vent holder and asking him for the code to unlock it.

"Well damn...Do I gotta change it after?"

"Inuyasha," she groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Fine...It's my birthday. Month and day. Do ya remember it?"

Did she remember it…

She had his phone unlocked before he had even asked. Kagome flipped the phone around to show him, a smirk on her lips, and he raised a brow at her.

"What! Dates can be hard to remember!"

Said the man who, apparently, still remembered their anniversary…

She rolled her eyes and tapped on the button with his text messages, pulling up his unread ones from Kikyo…

...And proceeded to scream bloody murder, dropping his phone onto the floor and terrifying him.

He swerved the car off the side of the road before finding some semblance of control and slammed on the breaks, making them shoot forward in their seats - their seat belts locking to hold them in place as much as they could.

"What happened?!" he yelled, looking at her frantically, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Shit, are you ok?!" he demanded, turning to check her over. Her hands, her arms...he gently pushed the neck of her shirt to the side and his thumb brushed against some light bruising on her collarbone from the seatbelt. "Kagome?" he demanded again, his eyes wild. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," she choked out, picking up his phone and shoving it back at him.

"Kagome, that didn't sound like it were nothing. Are ya hurt?"

Emotionally.

"I'm _fine_ , Inuyasha," she snapped. "Just...Can you respond to Kikyo yourself."

"Kikyo...Is _she_ ok?"

"Well her breasts certainly seem like they're cold, but otherwise, yeah. I'm sure she's fine."

She watched his face pale before it reddened, his lips pressing together into a very thin line.

"You scared me half to death...screamed...nearly got us _killed_ …'Cause Kikyo sent me a titty pic and now you're _upset_ over it?"

"Well at least you don't seem surprised about it. Sexting earlier, were we?"

"Oh for the love of…" he growled, rubbing his face with his hands. "Couldn't do it, huh? Couldn't go one day without fighting...And it had been such a damn good day…"

"Yeah. It had," she agreed, her voice rough as she turned away from him, tears gathering in her eyes. It wasn't right. The way she was acting...she knew it wasn't right. He could send Kikyo all the dick pics he wanted. Could look at all the tit shots Kikyo sent. It wasn't her place to be angry or upset. She gave that right up the day she gave him his ring back.

She knew that.

And yet...looking at his phone...seeing the actual _proof_ that he was doing this...That he was being...a man with _needs_...Fuck it hurt. She never thought that she would ever be subjected to his sex life after they broke up and yet...When she opened his phone to look at that text _there they were_.

Perky nipples and all, staring straight back at her.

She had been so shocked and abhorred all at the same time that she freaked out.

She pinched her eyes together as he chewed the inside of his cheek, head leaned back looking at the ceiling of the sedan.

"Is the car ok?" she whispered, and he rolled his head towards her.

"Hope so. Haven't checked yet. If not, we're gonna have to call someone to handle this. Probably get a room in town for the night."

His tone told her that he was really hoping that wasn't the case. From a financial standpoint, she understood it. That didn't keep her heart from clenching a little at the harshness of it though.

"Do you want to…"

"Yeah," he sighed, already opening his car door, and hopping out. She followed suit, turning the flashlight on her phone on to examine the car.

"Wheels all look good," he confirmed. "Think the engine should be fine - flat road at least."

"Good," she whispered, and he looked at her again, his lips pursed in thought.

"Kagome-"

"-I know, Inuyasha. I know," she sighed, crossing her arms under her breasts and looking away from him. "I don't have a right...but knowing you're... _doing things_ with another woman, and seeing them first hand...It's hard, and it was unexpected, ok?"

He sighed, but said nothing, and she turned to look back at him. His eyes were a mix of different emotions, and honestly, she couldn't make them out.

"I didn't mean for my relationship to hurt ya, Kagome. You gotta know that…"

"I do."

"And...ya gotta understand...I'm...I can...Kikyo and I are adults now, in a consenting relationship...or _whatever_ you would call it. So...If she wants to send me those kinda photos...It's...well…"

" _I get it,_ Inuyasha. Really. I do."

"Ok," he replied, sliding his hands back into his pockets. The silence stretched on between them for a moment, and she was about to open her mouth to tell him they should get back into the car when he continued. "I didn't ask her to send me that, ya know. And I didn't respond to it neither. She just... _did it_. Outta the blue this morning."

"She sent you a picture of her boobs this _morning?_ "

"Well I didn't look at it or nothing!"

" _When_ this morning," she demanded, her heart thundering in her chest. She didn't know why she needed to know...didn't know why it was important to hear...but it was. It mattered to her for some reason.

"When we were at Starbucks and she called me!"

There it was.

Literally all _fucking_ day, that had been just sitting in his phone. While they were holding hands and laughing and he was tickling her and making it feel like old times...he had a reminder of the woman he was _dating_ sitting in his pocket. A little something _something_ for later, after she was gone…

She didn't know why, but it fucking hurt like _hell_. It felt like…

...It felt like she was just a stand in, and he was using her because he couldn't do this with Kikyo.

God...was it irrational to be thinking like this? To feel her eyes welling up with tears?

"Ok then," she murmured, slowly nodding her head, rubbing at her eyes. "We should get going."

He said nothing. Instead, she just felt his glowing golden eyes on her back as she hopped into the car, closing the door as she waited for him to hop in after her. The door to the driver's side opened a moment later, and he slid in, placing his hands on the steering wheel. He drummed his fingers against it, chewing the inside of his lip in thought before he took his phone out. Kagome watched his fingers fly across the screen as he typed something, then turned his phone off and put it down in his lap.

He said nothing for a moment, staring out the windshield, his shoulders hunched inwards and his hands pressed against the seat between his legs.

His phone chimed a moment later, and he looked at the screen before turning it off.

"We ain't going no where, Kagome."

"I thought you had a date with Kikyo?"

"Canceled it."

She looked at him in shock.

"Y-you... _why?"_

He turned and shot her a knowing look, raising his eyebrow at her.

"Really, Kagome? Is it that hard ta figure out?"

She looked away from him, feeling shame pool in the pit of her stomach.

"Kagome…" he sighed, cupping her face and turning her to look back at him. "It was hard for me too, ya know. Knowing you were with someone else. Knowing you were curled up in bed at night with _the cat_."

She couldn't help but smile a little at how he spat out "the cat". He really hated Zack, didn't he? He'd never even met him, and yet Zack could drop dead tomorrow and Inuyasha would probably be walking around looking like the cat who caught the canary.

Perhaps a poor analogy. And yet...true all the same.

"You never had to _see_ it, though."

"...No. I didn't," he agreed, resting his arm on the shoulder of the driver's seat as he shifted his whole body to face her. "I don't know how I'd react, seeing some guy's pecker on your phone."

"Pecker?" she smiled, and he rolled his eyes.

"That's the part ya wanna focus on? Pecker?"

"You're the one who said it," she replied, a small smile tugging at her lips, and she watched him respond in kind.

"Yeah...I did. And I meant it. I don't know how you're feeling, but I know it can't be easy?"

"Since when did you care how I feel about this stuff," she asked, genuinely curious, and he looked a little taken aback. Probably because he knew she was right. He hadn't cared what she thought before. Had paraded his new life before her. His relationship with Kikyo. Had done it happily and with glee.

Now he was canceling his date instead of rushing back to go on it.

"When we decided we wanted to at least try and be friends again," he replied honestly, and she turned to face him, mirroring his posture in the car. "I think...when I decided I missed us too, that's when...and...when you finally told me about the truth of our break up…" he shrugged. "I don't know. It was like...knowing that you didn't hate me like I thought you did, freed me ya know? You were finally telling me the truth about this big huge thing that happened when we were kids...And I finally heard that I was enough. I just...sucked," he smiled smally.

"I sucked too…"

"We both sucked equally," he smiled, cupping her cheek, his thumb tenderly wicking away the tears she hadn't realized were spilling down them.

"Inuyasha…"

"Hey...you wanna hear something completely and totally embarrassing? Like...so embarrassing, I ain't ever told no one. Might make ya feel better?"

"Really?" she perked up a little. "Sounds like it's a hell of a story…"

"Well...It don't paint me in the best light but...Yeah, it's a story alright."

"Ok...Now I have to hear," she pressed, biting the inside of her lip.

"Alright...now...shit...this might now actually help, now that I think 'bout it…"

"No - no way! You can't back out like that, Inuyasha!"

He narrowed his eyes at her in thought before saying, "Fine, but ya can't be getting all mad and shit, ok?"

"Ok," she replied warily.

"It's 'bout the first time I...well...First woman I…"

"I get the picture," she replied, her cheeks burning bright red. Suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear this story…

"Ok...well then...Miroku, Kouga 'n' I were all going to the rodeo in Treeport a few years back. Do you remember Russell Davidson?"

"Bull rider? Of course I remember him!" she replied, suddenly a bit more intrigued by the story.

"He was coming out this way for the rodeo - gonna preform at it, and the guys and me just _had_ ta go. So...we decided ta make a weekend of it. Bought tickets, got us a hotel room...took turns on the pull out and everything. Shit...It was a _show_ Kagome...damn...ya woulda loved it…"

"I probably would have…"

It was true too. They _loved_ Russell Davidson. Used to watch him compete on the TV, and then the internet...They had always said if he came out their way, they were going to go see him. It looked like Inuyasha had that chance.

She was both happy for him and bitter all at the same time. She would have loved to have gone with him, but that was neither here nor there at this point.

"So, Kouga 'n' Miroku 'n' I are all at this bar the day before we're gonna go back, and there's this woman there...And she's super hot," he mused, his lips tugging up. "Like...had to have been the hottest woman in there, and I couldn't take my eyes off of her when we walked in there. Same with the guys. Miroku was...well...he was _filthy_ and a little drunk and I swear he could have made a sailor blush with the things he was saying. She didn't want him though - she kept looking at _me._ I didn't believe it at first. I thought she mighta wanted Kouga or Miroku, but they somehow convinced me to go talk ta her.

Mirokusaid that if he couldn't do it, I had fucking better, because _one_ of us had to leave with her. Kouga just smacked him upside the head and tried to hype me up instead. Gave me one of those cheesy lines...I don't even remember what it was. I don't even think it was all that funny, but I musta done something right because she was dragging me back to her car about an hour later. I don't know what I was expecting...Maybe to make out with her a little? Being pushed into her back seat was definitely a bit of a surprise. I weren't against it or nothing. I was just...unprepared, and I had a lot of alcohol at that point, so things were a bit fuzzy.

Next thing I know, this beautiful sexy woman, was tugging my pants down and...well…" he coughed awkwardly, as if he were trying to figure out exactly how detailed he should be.

"She...um ah...She had a real talent with her...mouth," he winced. "It was different from how ya did it. Not that how ya did it was bad or nothing!" he rushed to clarify. "Just...different woman, different... _preferences_. So...ah...anyways," he coughed. "She's... _doing her thing_ , and I try telling her that I'm gonna...and...well...She either didn't hear, 'cause of the loud music, or she didn't care, 'cause she just kept going...Next thing I know, I'm...I'm busting a nut in her mouth, and...She was so damn confused and choking on my cum...It was leaking out of her mouth, and just dripping down her chin and onto her tits and her dress..." he gestured, waving his hands down his body. "I thought she was gonna throw up. Meanwhile, I'm just lying there freaking the fuck out because I just got off and I called out _your_ name…

I scrambled out of that car with my jeans and underwear around my ankles. Pretty sure I gave a few people _quite_ a show...It was a good thing I got outta there though cause not even ten seconds later, she leaned over the edge of the car and spit it all out...Shit, I _really_ thought she was gonna puke. I scrambled to get ma pants on and made sure she was ok, and then got the hell outta there. I couldn't...I was too embarrassed to stick around.

I couldn't tell the guys all that happened. Told them that we kissed a little, and that she...blew me," he blushed. "But I didn't tell them the rest."

"Wow," she breathed. "Like... _wooooow_ …"

"Yeah, yeah...I know…"

"I just... _wow_ Inuyasha…"

"I ain't say it was ma proudest moment! Just a really, _really_ embarrassing one!"

"Oh you weren't wrong about that," she snickered. "I mean...I just... _wow…"_

"Would ya stop saying that already?" he grumbled.

"I mean I would, but... _wow!"_

He rolled his eyes and shifted away from her, and she reached out to take his hand, drawing his attention back to her.

"Thanks though...for that…"

"Yeah?"

She nodded.

"Yeah...I mean...I _knew_...but...It's kinda...nice to know that you had some sucky encounters too."

"Sucky? Really?"

"It was too hard to resist!" she giggled, and he just smiled, running his thumb over her knuckles.

"Well...I'd like ta say you were wrong but…"

"The cum stained dress says otherwise?" she snickered, and he rolled his eyes.

"I gave her fair warning!"

"I hope it didn't stain…"

"Hey!"

She laughed outright at that, her whole body shaking at the...well...absurdity of _everything_. And the thought of Inuyasha scrambling out of a car, dick swinging in the wind...She could almost _see_ the terror on his face, and it made her laugh a little harder.

"Alright chuckles, let's get ya home," he grumbled, letting go of her hand, finally turning on the car. They both let out a sigh of release when the engine turned over, and he pulled it into drive, heading back down the road.

"Inuyasha?"

"Yeah?" he replied, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Did you...really cancel your date with Kikyo?"

Inuyasha sighed and his ears lowered as he reached between his thighs and handed her the phone.

"Go 'head," he mumbled, as she nervously glanced back up at him. At his insistence, she took the phone from him and opened it, this time bracing herself for what was on the other side. Only...the photo was gone. Had he…

He must have deleted it.

Why…?

You know what? That wasn't something she was going to ponder right now.

Instead, she read the last few messages he had sent, and felt her jaw drop slightly. He had really canceled his date with Kikyo...All because…

"You didn't have to do that, you know," she whispered, her chest filling with remorse.

"Says who?" he demanded, arching one of his thick brows.

"Me."

He snorted.

"Welp. Glad you think I didn't hafta do that."

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, turning to look out the window.

"Why did you?"

She was afraid of the answer, but she didn't know why…

"'Cause ya needed me."

"That's not exactly a reason to cancel…"

Inuyasha sighed and reached out, taking her hand again.

"To me it was."

She looked back over at him, and her heart jumped into her throat. He was dead serious. His jaw was set firmly. His eyes were intense, a thousand different thoughts and emotions showing in them. She was still important to him, wasn't she?

At least...at least a little, if nothing else.

Silence fell over them again as the gravity of his words fell over _her_ , really taking root in her brain. You wouldn't think that four little words could mean so much, and yet...She found herself replaying them over and over and over again. She was worth it to him. After all these years...after everything...she still meant something to him…

" _I insisted on giving him something for his time, but he didn't want anything other than…" She trailed off and closed her eyes, sighing._

_"Other than what?" Kagome swallowed._

_"Other than the occasional update on how you're doing. I think...I think a part of him still loves you, Sweetie."_

...Her mom couldn't be right…

...Right?

He was dating Kikyo! He had moved on!

...But…

He was also canceling his date with Kikyo for _her_. He was holding _her_ hand and teasing _her_ and…

...And she couldn't read into anything. She would be an idiot to. But why did she want to? It was all because they had one good day together, wasn't it? One good day didn't mean anything though. One good day was exactly that. One good day. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yet, why tell her _that_ story? Why tell her about the first blow job he had after her, where he called out for _her_ when he came. He might not have meant to tell her that little morsel of information...it sure as hell felt like a slip of the tongue...but he _had_. Was he just...trying to tell her that he still loved her?

No.

 _No_.

This is stupid, and irrational.

"So," she coughed, trying to get her mind off of the tail spin it was going down. "Russell Davidson, huh? Was he as good in person?"

"Better," Inuyasha grinned. "I swear it was the best damn rodeo I've ever been too. I mean it - ya woulda loved it Kagome. I don't know how, but we got some amazing seats - could practically see the sweat beading up on his forehead. I could definitely smell it," he remembered, wrinkling his nose as if he still could. "He was the only one to stay on the bull - the man is a born natural!"

"It's a shame I missed it," she mused, toying with the edge of her shirt.

"Well...You...I…"

Inuyasha snapped his mouth shut, and she raised her brow at him, prodding him to go on. She stuck a finger into his side, and he glared at her, his jaw moving around as if he were chewing on the words first before uttering them.

"Do ya wanna come?"

"Excuse me?"

"Russell is coming back to Treeport in a monthish. If ya think you're gonna still be in town. A bunch of us are going," he rushed to add, almost so she wouldn't mistake his invitation as a date. Which...she wouldn't. Because why would she?

"Kouga, Miroku, Sango…" he continued. "Got the tickets just last week. Gonna make another weekend outta it - get a hotel again and everything. It's going to be one of Russell's last shows. He's retiring."

She was shocked. Russell was like a part of her childhood. To hear that he was retiring...

"If...Yeah. If I'm still here, I...I think I'd like that."

She meant it too. She really would like that.

"Me too," he replied shyly, glancing at her before switching his attention back to the road.

"Is Kikyo going?" she pressed, and she watched him stiffen.

"I...I dunno," he shrugged, and she felt both of her eyebrows raise in surprise.

"You didn't ask her?"

His silence was all the confirmation she needed.

"Why not?"

"'Cause it's...If I asked her, it would be a big deal. It would mean we're... _more_."

"Asking me isn't a big deal?"

"We're friends, aren't we?"

Kagome pursed her lips together, not entirely sure she really wanted to open this can of words with him right now. Then again, they were trapped in a car together for two hours. They couldn't run. Couldn't escape. Maybe she _should_ open the can.

"Yes, Inuyasha. We're also exes. So what does it mean that you're asking _me?_ "

"That I'm trying to rebuild our friendship. Extend an olive branch. Sometimes an invitation is just an invitation, Kagome."

"Then why not invite Kikyo?"

"Because I don't wanna take the next step with her yet, ok?" he snapped, and she felt like all of the air had suddenly been knocked from her lungs.

She heard him take a deep breath of his own and flex his fingers against the wheel as he chewed the inside of his lip.

"You ain't gonna drop this, are ya?"

She didn't know how to respond to that, and he didn't wait for one either.

"Kikyo and I aren't there yet. For me, at least. Asking her to go to a rodeo in Treeport - spend time at a hotel - it's sending out commitment vibes I'm not sure I'm ready to give. It's stepping things up, and I'm not sure I want to do that. I know where we stand, Kagome. Asking ya ain't the same thing. You're not gonna think I wanna jump in bed with ya, or date ya, or anything else 'cause we already did that."

"But we're exes, Inuyasha...How do you think that's going to make her feel?"

He pressed his lips together, and she could tell that he hadn't even thought of that before she had said it. He had just... _done._ Jumped head first before thinking about the consequences again. How typical of him.

"I think...I should decline, Inuyasha," she whispered and she watched his hands tighten around the wheel. "I think if you want to have a chance with Kikyo, we shouldn't tell anyone that you invited me, and I shouldn't come."

"Kagome," he whispered, his face dropping. "You love Russell Davidson…This is your last chance to see him..."

"Yeah but...I love you more," she replied, looking down into her lap. "And I don't want to hurt you more. Besides. I can always go with Souta."

He didn't reply. Just kept his eyes on the road instead, and a heavy, awkward silence fell over them again as his jaw twitched. Her fingers played with the hem of her shirt, her rings...They kept her busy and preoccupied so she didn't have to look at him. Then they could pretend that this whole conversation had never happened, right?

"So," Kagome began awkwardly after a time. "You canceled on Kikyo. How are you going to make it up to her?"

Inuyasha glanced at her out of the corner of his eye, and a small part of her couldn't help but laugh.

"Hadn't thought about it yet. Was thinking about flowers?"

"The woman sent you nudes, and you canceled your date. You can't make it up to her with just flowers."

"I didn't cancel it because of the titty pic!" he shot back and she gave him a knowing look.

"Maybe not, but that's now how it's going to come across to her…"

"Fuck," he sighed, as Kagome pulled up the GPS again and put his phone back onto the air vent.

"Yeah...I'd say…" she agreed. "Why don't you offer to cook her dinner? And bring the flowers too? A man cooking me dinner is pretty sexy. I think she'd like it," she shrugged, ignoring the little voice in the back of her head asking why the hell she was telling Inuyasha to cook dinner for another woman.

"Unless she wants PB&J or frozen pizza, I don't think she'd like what I can cook for dinner."

That was a fair point...He didn't live alone. The likelihood of him knowing how to cook anything from scratch was...well...Let's just say she doubted his mom enjoyed sharing the kitchen.

"I could help you," she suggested, the voice in her head groaning as soon as the words left her lips. If the bewildered look he gave her after that was any indication, he was just as shocked.

"You wanna help me cook her dinner," he pressed, his words slow. Calculated. Almost as if he was clarifying what he had heard the first time...and was stunned that he had heard it at all.

"Yeah. Why not? It will be good for you, and it will impress her and make her feel special and important…"

"If...You're really ok with that…"

"Of course I am," she replied weakly, even though she felt like the world's biggest liar right now. "It will help you, won't it?"

"Yeah," he sighed, reaching out to take her hand again. "Thanks, Kagome."

She swallowed thickly at the genuine appreciation she felt from him.

"Of course, Inuyasha. I'm happy to help. I want you to be happy."

Even...even if it wasn't with her...

* * *

A/N:

If you weren't aware...

I issues a challenge to people on tumblr - get this fic up to 100 reviews on FFN, and I'll post chapter 15 early, and give reviewer number 100 an early peak at the full next chapter!

Mission accomplished.

I wonder what I will do when we get to 150 reviews...

Thank you to everyone for playing! I hope this was worth it!

Chapter 16 is also now available elsewhere to others! Find out where on my tumblr!

Until next time!

-LL


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 16

Kagome looked at herself in the mirror, putting her hair up - then taking it down - before putting it back up again. She was being crazy - she knew it. It wasn't a big deal. Wasn't like this was a date. This was just her showing Inuyasha how to cook dinner for his…

...His…

Well, for Kikyo.

She didn't need to look fancy or nice or special. Hell, she could do this in flannel pajamas and it wouldn't matter. He wasn't dating _her_. Anymore, at least.

Kagome sighed and took her hair down again, leaving the hair tie on her wrist as she heard the front door open and her mother greet Inuyasha. Her hands found a tube of lip gloss, and before she could think or stop herself, she was applying it.

Why?

Why was she doing this?

She slammed the tube back down onto her desk in frustration, picking up a tissue to wipe it off again. Kagome pinched her eyes shut and rubbed her temples, moaning. She was driving herself crazy, and he was here. There was no point in doing any of this. She knew this. It wasn't like they were dating or were ever going to be ever again.

She was just showing him how to cook one meal for Kikyo.

Because she was his _friend_.

Kagome shook her head and exited her room, bounding down the stairs to greet the silver haired man.

"You look like you had a hell of a day," Kagome commented as he gave her a one armed hug, the other arm holding a large bag of groceries. He was wearing a worn, soft, blue Henley t-shirt and jeans, and the stubble had reappeared all over the lower half of his face...as well as bags under each of his eyes. He was working himself too hard again, wasn't he? Trying to juggle too many things...

"Spent the day cutting the wood for the bedroom," he shrugged. "I showered before I came…"

"What a shame," she teased. "Nothing I love more than a big old sweaty man covered in sawdust."

"Ah...well...Guess I missed my opportunity then, huh?"

She rolled her eyes and led him to the kitchen.

"I'll say - I would have been all over you like flies to shit."

"Oh God," he complained, wrinkling his nose. "That's an image I really didn't need...Wait...Are you calling me shit?"

"...Hot shit?"

He just glared at her, emptying the contents of the grocery bag onto the counter. Chicken, garlic, almonds, walnuts, pears, brussel sprouts, fingerling potatoes, heavy whipping cream, and a few roasting pans…

"Nice try, Kagome," he replied, shaking his head. "This everything we need? I checked the list twice before I left the store. Didn't wanna forget anything."

"Mmm...Nope! This looks like it," she confirmed, moving to the fridge to take out a few last things they would need. The objective was to prepare everything now so he could just pop it into the oven that night. It was a sound plan. In her opinion at least. Kagome instructed Inuyasha to pull out a knife while she grabbed a cutting board, then picked up a shallot.

"Do you know how to cut one of these?" she asked, and he shot her a look that said no, but how hard could it be.

"Peel it first, and then dice it. We're sautéing it with rosemary and garlic and almonds."

"I thought ya said this was supposed to be easy," he teased, making quick work of the dry, brown skin covering the purple flesh of the vegetable.

"It is," she smirked, raising an eyebrow at him before stopping him as he began to slice the shallot, somewhat predictably, the wrong way. "You have to slice it lengthwise like this," she corrected, moving behind him and taking his hand in hers, guiding his movements.

She tried to ignore the heat of his body. The way he still smelled of him and his old spice deodorant. The way his back felt firmer than she had ever remembered it feeling before. The way she wanted him to turn around and hold her in his arms...Kiss her hair…

She sharply bit the inside of her lip, snapping her thoughts out of things that could never be - _should_ never be - and back to the task at hand. She moved Inuyasha's hand with her own, slicing the shallot vertically towards the dried roots at the base before horizontally.

"If you do it this way," she explained, "when you cut it horizontally, everything is already diced for you."

"It's a neat trick," he muttered, his voice somewhat strained. His hand was slack, allowing her to show him how to do it. "Thanks."

"Yeah," she nodded, and her cheek brushed against his arm. She jerkily pulled away from him at the unexpected contact. "Why don't you try doing it on your own? You don't need me back seat cutting," she tried to tease, picking up the head of garlic. She distracted herself from the ache in her chest by popping out a few cloves and peeling them before directing him to mince them.

"Any special tricks with this one?" he grinned cheekily - _almost_ flirtatiously.

"Nope," she replied, rapidly shaking her head. "Nothing fancy about this. You just need to ninja it's ass."

He snorted at her. _"Ninja it's ass?"_

"Don't mock me, sir, or I'll let you figure out how to impress your woman all on your own," she countered, raising her brow. She meant it jokingly, but...her tone didn't quite hit the mark, and they could both hear it.

"You really don't hafta, ya know…" he mumbled, his words soft and his tone quiet.

"I know...I'm sorry...It's just...Can we take a second to acknowledge that it's a little weird?"

"Only a little," he smirked, yet the snarkiness of his tone was belied by the gentle and deep caring in his eyes.

"Yeah...only a little…"

"I can leave you know," he mumbled. "If this is too weird…"

"No - I want to do this. I promise. You're risked ruining everything with her because of me...This is the least I can do. So. Get back to mincing up that garlic clove, ok?"

He nodded his head, swallowing whatever it was he clearly wanted to say, and followed her instructions. Soon they had the shallots, garlic, and rosemary sautéing in a pan with a generous pad of butter.

"Mmmm," she moaned as the fragrance began to fill her mother's small kitchen. "Smell that?"

"Smells great," he grinned, stirring them with a wooden spoon.

"Remember this smell the next time you make this, ok? When it's like this...that's when you know it's time to add in the almonds. When everything becomes nice and fragrant like this. Let me grab them for you - you keep an eye on the stove."

"Sounds good," he nodded, and she thought that maybe she caught his eyes following her as she turned around to grab them. Lingering on her as she bent over the table to grab the bag on the other side of the table.

That was crazy though.

Right?

Right.

She righted herself and pulled her hair up, trying to distract herself from the _insane_ thoughts floating around in her head. Because...they _were_ insane. Kagome opened the coarsely chopped, roasted, salted almonds he had bought and reached around him to pour them into the pan. She hadn't even realized she had placed a hand between his shoulder blades until she noticed him looking at her again.

"Sorry," she mumbled, removing the offending appendage. "Just trying to not spill anything."

He raised a brow, but didn't call her on her pathetic, weak excuse. She didn't know why she had done it, honestly. She really hadn't even thought about it...but now her hand felt like she had placed it onto her mother's stovetop.

"How do I know when they need to come off?"

"It only needs a minute. I'll set up the dredging station while you're finishing this up."

"A whole _station?_ "

"It's a process, but I _promise_ it's easy."

"Uh huh," he smirked. "So...listen," he continued as he stirred the almond mixture in the pan. "I was thinking we could pick out wall colors for the house this week? It's gonna take a spell for the lights and tiles to come in."

"Yeah, sure," she agreed, pouring some flour into a shallow bowl. "Do you have anything in mind?"

He snorted, and she knew the answer to that without needing to press.

"Ok...How about we browse pinterest sometime this week? We don't need to go anywhere fancy for paint."

"Ya sure?" he smirked, bringing the pan off the heat as she instructed and poured everything into another bowl.

"Pretty sure," she replied, bumping her hip into his. "I'd say paint is paint, but that's not true. And it all matters...but it's not like buying lights or tiles. We can get good paint anywhere."

"If ya say so." A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and she told him to take the chicken out of it's packaging as she cracked an egg into the last dish. She walked him through cleaning the chicken breasts before teaching him how to use a dredging station.

He was a natural.

Then again...this wasn't hard. Or at least she didn't think it was hard. He seemed to think he was doing something amazing and spectacular...The look on his face...It pulled at her heart strings. It was pure joy and pride, and she loved seeing him like that. Seeing that excitement on his face.

She swallowed hard, and showed him how to lightly grease a roasting pan with butter, instructing him to place the chicken breasts into it when he was done.

"You're doing great," she reassured as he placed the first one in the bottom.

"Making ya proud?"

"Very. I'll go turn on the oven for the pears - you can handle this?" The pears were the only thing she had asked him to get extra of, because she loved them so much. Fancy and sophisticated yet so easy.

"It's just dipping shit, Kagome. I think I can dip shit."

She giggled and shook her head, turning on her mother's oven. From there, it was just showing him how to clean, season, and prepare to roast the veggies at the same time...and it wasn't hard.

"This is all really impressive, Kagome. Thanks."

"Happy to help," she replied for the umpteenth time. It was beginning to feel like a catch phrase. 'Happy to help, Inuyasha...I want to help, Inuyasha…'. Even if it were true, she was beginning to feel a bit like a broken record. Well. _Mostly_ true.

Helping him with the pears was easy. It was just a cutting and sprinkle job...but the whipped cream was a bit more intensive.

"Ya know what I'm not looking forward to," he commented off handedly as he began making the whipped cream as she had instructed him. She was sitting in a chair across from him, watching his every movement in rapt attention.

"Mmmm...Eating it?" she teased, and he rolled his eyes.

"That's the part I'm looking forward to."

"Ok...I'll bite then. What aren't you looking forward to?"

"Clean up," he smirked, reaching into the bowl coating his finger in whipped cream and swiping it down over her nose.

"Inuyasha," she squealed. "Why did you do that?"

"'Cause I wanted ta," he shrugged, his eyes sparkling with laughter as a fang mischievously poked out the corner of his mouth.

She narrowed her eyes at him, standing up from her seat and diving across the table, reaching for the bowl of whipped cream. She was too slow against him though, and he snatched it away before she could properly retaliate, leaving her almost face down across the table.

"Whooo boy, just what were ya trying ta do with that, Higurashi?"

"You know damn well what I was gonna do with that," she glared back, her eyes narrowing at his mirth.

"Huh...You weren't...thinking about smearing me with whipped cream, now were ya?"

"Whatever gave you that idea…"

"Just a hunch," he smirked, dipping his finger back into the bowl as she righted herself. "Here, try," he requested, holding his finger to her lips, and she felt herself hesitate. All that did was make him roll his eyes and smear it across her lips.

She squeaked in surprise before her tongue sneaked past her lips, pulling the whipped cream into her mouth.

It was good. _Really_ good.

But it hurt. Having him act like this with her...Having him _look_ at her like this...Smoldering and hot...she felt herself burning alive under his gaze as he watched her little pink tongue. She wondered what he was thinking when he saw it. Wondered what was going on in that mysterious head of his. She felt his hand cup her cheek, his thumb gently caressing her cheek bone as his eyes flitted from her nose back to hers.

"How did I do?" he asked, his voice suddenly rougher and thicker than it had been before. It was heavy - filled with unspoken desires that she was afraid to examine.

"It was good."

"Just good?"

"Could use some more vanilla," she swallowed, and she watched his lip curl up at the corners before his face smoothed again and he dipped his head down, his tongue lapping up the cream on the bridge of her nose.

She felt her whole body flush, and a nearly irresistible desire to kiss him clawed at her heart. It was begging her to touch him. Taste him...but she couldn't. God, what was wrong with her? They weren't...This wasn't…

God dammit Kagome!

She gave up her right to hold him, and kiss him and love him years ago! She knew that! It shouldn't matter that all afternoon it had felt like none of that had ever happened! It shouldn't matter that he could make it so easy to pretend that he was hers again!

That she had never left. That she hadn't given him up, and they were cooking for _them_.

That her life could be like _this_. That she could be wrapped in his arms, holding him tightly...that she could still have the love of her life...

His tongue ran across her nose again, clearing away the rest of the whipped cream before his teeth nipped at the very tip of her nose.

"Tastes good to me…" he murmured. "I can add more though."

He pulled away from her, leaving her stunned and raising a shaky hand up to her nose.

"I-Inuyasha," she breathed watching him add another teaspoon of vanilla to the whipped cream.

"Yeah?" he replied, not looking up as he turned on the mixer.

"I…" She stood stalk still, staring at him. Wanting to know why he had done it. Why he was acting so flirtatious with her...but she couldn't make the words leave her lips. It was like her throat had restricted so much the words were stuck in it, and she was left gasping for air, trying to find some semblance of reason.

"Yeah?" he prodded again, this time meeting her gaze head on. His eyes were curious - his brow arched. She wanted to reach into that bowl and smear whipped cream all over _his_ face. Lick whipped cream off of _him_. His face. His chest.

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom - will you be ok without me?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he reassured, turning his attention back to the whipped cream. "You don't need to check with me if you need to pee. You should just pee."

She rolled her eyes and left, thankful for his crassness for once. It was helping her shake herself out of... _whatever_ was going on with her.

Kagome quickly closed the door to the bathroom and closed the lid on the toilet, sitting down on it as she buried her face in her hands. She needed to get a grip on herself.

Yeah.

This wasn't how she would behave with her friends back in California. Guys, girls...there was an underlying intimacy behind Inuyasha's actions, and while she was desperately trying to not read into it, she was failing.

She could feel her body reacting to him...Feel herself wanting things she couldn't have anymore...Even if she didn't want to be. She could still feel the heat of his hands on her skin. The slick of his tongue against her nose. The slide of his finger against her lips…

She squeezed her eyes shut, forcing herself to put the thoughts behind her. She needed to think about something else.

Like the fact that the whole reason he was here, in her kitchen, was to cook his...his... _whatever_ dinner because Kikyo had sent him nudes, and then he had canceled on her.

...Because she had been crying and Inuyasha felt she needed him more than Kikyo did.

No.

Stop it.

Come on...Thinking like that is only going to hurt more in the long run.

They're friends. They're finding their way back to friendship. Because that's what they are.

Wanting him was just…

Oh God…

She…

Did she…

No.

That was…

_No._

She _didn't_ want him. _Couldn't_ want him.

They were _friends_. Nothing more. Wanting him made no sense. Wanting what they once had made no sense. Wishing that she could have him again...That they could fix themselves so he would be hers again...That made _no_ sense. She couldn't - _wouldn't_ feel that way about him. Because they were _friends_ , and that was it.

She felt her mind beginning to engage itself in cyclical arguments, and she groaned, leaning her head back onto her shoulders.

Maybe she just needed to accept that this is what friendship looked like for _them_.

Inuyasha was right when he had said that they weren't just friends. Or that they hadn't been since they were kids...because it was true. Almost as soon as puberty hit, they were dating, and hadn't stopped until she pulled the plug at 18.

So what did friendship as adults even look like for them?

Maybe...Maybe this was it.

She nodded her head and flushed the toilet, lifting the lid back up and washing her hands.

This is what friendship looked like for them. That was what she needed to remind herself now when she found herself unexpectedly in his arms next. When he decided to smear whipped cream across her face.

This is what she had wanted, wasn't it?

She had wanted him back in her life - had missed their relationship and his friendship…

So _this_ is just what that meant. And she needed to stop letting the little voice in the back of her head tell her it was anything more than that...Because she had given up her right to love him years ago.

When she entered the kitchen, Inuyasha surprised her, shoving a walnut and honey pear topped with the whipped cream, in her face...As if she hadn't _just_ talked herself off of an emotional ledge.

"Here, try," he demanded as she felt herself going cross eyed to look at it.

"This…"

"The pears were done when you came out," he explained. "They smell good too, but I wanna know how I did. Open up."

"Because you—MM!"

Inuyasha took the opportunity to use her reply to literally _shove_ the baked pear into her mouth, forcing her to try it.

And it was _good_. He was good at this.

"How is it?" he pressed, his voice hopeful as his eyes scanned her face.

"Hawt," she mumbled - the word barely intelligible. "Welly welly hawt."

"I guess I should wait then?"

"You didn't even try it yet?!"

"I wanted you to go first in case I messed up - Hey! That hurt!" he yelped as she smacked his pectoral.

"Good because I nearly burned my mouth for you!"

"...But it was worth it, right?"

"Ass."

"...That doesn't sound like a no…"

She rolled her eyes and took the plate he was holding, piping hot pear still on it.

"Hey! Go get your own," he whined and she glared at him, turning out of the way as he reached for it, trying to reclaim the captive pear.

"I did," she replied, squealing when he tried to snatch her pear from her again. He brought her flush against his chest, and she tried wriggling out of his arms, but it was useless. They were like boa constrictors, keeping her firmly in place.

"Just give it back to me Kagome," he whined, reaching for the plate again, and she managed to move it just out of his grasp.

"No!" she replied, trying to ignore the way her heart was racing. The happiness she could feel exploding in her chest. The joy she could feel from this stupid game of keep away.

"Yes!" he shot back, holding her that much tighter. "I wanna try some!"

"Then take a different one out from the pan!"

"But this one is cooler," he reasoned, almost snatching the pear away from her.

"Well you made me eat this one, so it's mine now!"

"We were gonna share it!"

"It's a little late for that, buddy!"

"Yeah? Says who, Kags?"

Kags.

It was like he had dropped a bucket of ice water onto them. Kags. He hadn't called her that in years…

His arms were gone from her in seconds, but she didn't move...and neither did he. It was like they were both paralyzed now, unable to wrap their minds around what had just happened, and yet…

 _Kags_.

She could still hear it clear as day. Could still hear the way it bounced off the walls around them and filtered into her ear drum. It was the sweetest sound in the world...Yet…

"I thought we weren't using those names anymore," she whispered, if you could even call it that. If it weren't for his excellent hearing, she wasn't sure he would have even heard it. She hardly registered saying it.

 _Kags_.

"I," he coughed thickly, moving away from her. "We're not. Sorry. I guess it just…"

"Slipped?" she supplied, turning and looking at him. A bright red blush stained his cheeks, and he was looking at anything but her. She wished she knew what he was thinking. What was going on in that crazy head of his.

"Yeah," he mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. "I get it now. How easy it is to slip up. Sorry, Kagome…"

"What's there to be sorry about? It's your damn rule," she chuckled bitterly.

"For a reason…" he tailed off, and she thought he was going to say more, but he must have changed his mind.

It hurt so much. Why did it hurt so much? She got it now. Why he didn't like her calling him Yash. It was like it was a reminder of better times. A reminder of what they were...and could have been...Fuck if it didn't feel like her heart had just been stabbed. It was just another fucking reminder that they could never be what they were ever again.

As if she hadn't had enough fucking reminders of what she had lost today.

"Why don't we clean all of this up, hmm?" she prompted, beginning to wrap up the food for him for tonight. "I'll message you cook times and temperatures later, ok?"

She needed to keep busy - keep her hands moving and her focus somewhere else. Needed to remind herself who all of this food was actually for, because it wasn't her. He wasn't trying this hard for her.

"Kagome," he began, attempting to get her attention, but she couldn't let herself listen.

"All of the hard work is done. The pear was great, by the way," she absently commented, closing the lid on the raw, seasoned potatoes and brussel sprouts.

"Kagome," he tried again, but she kept going, lowering all of the containers into the bags he brought with him.

"Pick up some white wine before you go over. Maybe a pinot grigio."

"Kagome, please—"

"—And flowers. Don't forget the flowers," she nodded, handing him the bag of uncooked food.

"Can we just—"

"—I think she'll like it, Inuyasha," she smiled brightly, but she could feel how false it was...and she was sure he knew too.

He looked down at the bags, as if he were unsure what to do, and she moved them closer to him. It was as if she were silently telling him, "Here. Go on. Take them and leave." She glanced up at his face, and his ears were so low they almost disappeared into his hair. She pressed the bags into his chest, shifting her gaze away from him and this time he silently took the bags.

"I'll see you around, Kagome," he whispered quietly, leaving her alone in the kitchen, and she listened for the front door to open and close with rapt attention. When she heard his car start up outside...That's when she allowed herself to crumple in on herself, falling to the floor crying.

What was she doing?

Dear God...What was she doing?

* * *

A/N: I fucking LOVE the next chapter. 

Like.

We don't even underSTAND how much I love 17. It's just...

HNNNNGGGGGG!!!

And BECAUSE I love it so much...I want to play a game with you.

Right now this story is set to update with that chapter on 10/13. _**If you get this up to 180 reviews here by 10/9 and 160 on FFN....**_

_**I'll update early. THAT'S HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS CHAPTER.** _

The challenge has been issued...

Let's see if it happens. 

MUAHAHAHAHA!!!

And if you want to read the next chapter even earlier than that....visit my tumblr for more information!

Until next time...whenever that is!!

-LL


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe, but I sure do love playing with them. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 17

Inuyasha glanced down at his phone, hoping he had received a response to one of his many messages to Kagome. Well...was 3 messages really considered many? It sure as hell felt like a lot...But maybe he was just...well...He was in a mood, that was for sure. Things hadn't exactly gone smoothly tonight, and for some reason, Kagome just felt like the answer.

So, he had sent her one message on Facebook. Just a simple "Hey" to test the waters - see if they could talk. When she hadn't responded, he moved on to a "Are you up?", which hadn't gotten him any results. Finally, he messaged her, "Can I come over? I need to talk."

Again. Nothing.

It didn't even show up that she had read it.

If he were a smart man, he might have taken that as a "go away" or a "I'm sleeping" or something else...but...well...Since when was he a smart man? He had tried to be as quiet as he could as he snuck out his window and saddled Bessie, to ride over to the Higurashis' ranch. It felt good riding her in the middle of the night like this...but his head was still all in a fog, and for some reason, he just…

Look.

They might not be as close as they once were, but there was something _screaming_ at him to go to Kagome, and he was having a hell of a time shaking the feeling. He needed her. And that's why he was staring up at her lit bedroom window, wondering why she was ignoring him.

He reached down and picked up a small handful of pebbles, palming them as he bit the inside of his cheek. He could just...Call her. Maybe that was a smarter move...Shit, did she even still have the same number? Did he even still remember it?

He hesitated a moment before dialing, and he felt his stomach twist into knots as he heard it ring. What if it was the wrong number? What if it wasn't? What if she really _was_ ignoring him? What if she just...fell asleep with the lights on? It wouldn't have been the first time…

" _Hi, you've reached the voicemail of Kagome Hi—"_

He hung up.

Same number...

He shook his head, not wanting to think about the implications. Maybe...Maybe he should just leave...but, even as he thought that, his feet seemed to be glued to the ground. He _needed_ to see her. Smell her. Hear her voice.

He sighed and plucked one of the rocks from his palm, winding his arm back before flicking it at her window frame. It tapped it before bouncing to the ground. He waited a second before throwing another one, and another one, and another one...Maybe...Maybe she really was sleeping. Maybe he should go home. Maybe he shouldn't be eyeing that tree, or climbing up it...And yet…

Here he was. Sitting in its branches like he was a kid again. He hoped it could still hold his weight. He wasn't exactly the same twig he was when he had done this last. God, if her father were still alive, he'd be a dead man. How he had never been caught before…Then again, he was sure when he did this as a teenager, the man had known. He had just...trusted them. And kept an ear to the wall to make sure he didn't hear anything more than maybe some kissing.

He shook his head, clearing out the memories of _those_ nights, and inched closer to her window.

"Kagome?" he called out, hoping she would wake up and open the window. Or just open the window.

"Kagome," he tried again, edging a bit closer.

Still nothing.

"Kagome?"

Fuck.

He was almost out of tree limb here...Or at least tree limb he trusted.

"Kagome!" he called a bit louder this time, and he saw her curtains move, revealing the woman he had been trying to get in touch with for far too long on the other side. Fucking _finally!_

"Inuyasha?" she mumbled, her words muffled from the pane of glass. Her face was screwed up in clear confusion, and her eyes were red.

Why the hell were her eyes red?

She opened her window resting her palms on the sill as she leaned forward on her arms. The sudden scent of tears hit him like a knife being driven through his heart. She had been crying? Why? What was wrong?

"What are you doing here?"

"I…" he glanced down, suddenly feeling foolish. He had come because he wanted her comfort, and now that he was here, looking at her, smelling her, he knew that his problems weren't as important as hers.

He glanced back up at her, taking in the arch of her elegant brow, and he sighed.

"Can I come in? Worried I might break the tree."

"Don't want to break your arm again," she teased, her lip quirking up ever so slightly as she backed away from the window sill. He leapt onto the wood ledge. His feet found purchase in the grooves worn into the wood from his youth, before climbing through.

"You can use the door now, you know. You have a key to the house."

"I didn't want to wake anyone up," he shrugged, even though he knew she was right.

"Well, you woke me up…"

So she had been sleeping. Or lying about it. The smell of tears was too fresh - too strong to ignore. It overpowered any other smells...so he couldn't tell.

"Kagome, are you ok?" he pressed, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Yeah, why?" she pressed, crossing her arms under her breasts.

He rolled his eyes and tapped his nose, making her blush. He swore she forgot about his sense of smell sometimes. He didn't know how. It wasn't like he was the only man with demonic blood she had ever been with.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha," she sighed. "I'd be better though if you told me why the hell you showed up at my house at eleven at night."

"I just…" God...It really sounded so stupid now, didn't it?

"Just…" she pressed, cocking her hip to the side.

Needed her. He just needed her, ok? But he couldn't tell her that.

"Just...wanted to know if you wanted to go for a ride?"

Maybe it would do them both some good. They could go out to their spot and talk. They were doing that a lot lately, and he liked it. Fuck, he hadn't realized how much he had _missed_ it until they started doing it again.

"Inuyasha, it's late...I really shouldn't…" she sighed, but he didn't want to give up.

"Please? Just...a quick one?"

He watched her bite the inside of her lip as her shoulders slumped.

"A quick one."

He felt his face light up like he was a fucking lighthouse, and it must have made her smile too. Why did the thought of taking her for a ride make him giddy? Why did seeing her smile just...wash away the horrible evening he'd just had?

"I need to change first though - I'm not going in this."

Tank top and short shorts. He didn't think she was even wearing a bra, given that he didn't see straps. There was something inside him begging him to ask her to just come as is...Something about the thought of holding her when she looked like this that heated his blood. It made him wish they were kids again. They might not have even gone for the ride. They might have ended up in her bed, his hands sliding under her shirt and up her abdomen to—

No.

These were bad thoughts to be having.

"Sure," he nodded, his voice far more hoarse than he would have liked it to have been. He watched as she moved around her room, taking out a t-shirt and jeans and far more underwear than he had anticipated, laying them out on her bed.

"Well?" she pressed, clearly waiting for him to do or say something...and it took him far longer than he would care to admit to realize what it was.

"Oh! Yeah. Sorry," he mumbled, turning around and looking at the floor. He heard the soft rustling of fabric, and he felt himself swallow hard as she must have removed her shirt.

"So how was dinner?" she asked, and he looked up from the floor...and realized that they had both completely forgotten that she had a small makeup mirror on her desk.

She was beautiful.

He knew he shouldn't be looking. That he should close his eyes, look at the ceiling - something. _Anything_.

But…

He couldn't.

She was as stunning as he remembered. Her skin as smooth and pale as it had always been. Her breasts may be a little fuller than before...her nipples pert and slightly puckered…He could almost taste them. A part of himself wanted to. Wanted to push her to the bed and kiss her. Run his fingers through the patch of hair at the apex of her thighs.

He swallowed again as she slipped into her panties before finding her bra.

This was wrong.

God, this was so wrong.

He was breaching her trust, and yet he couldn't bring himself to look away. Couldn't keep from fantasizing and remembering... _everything_.

"It was good," he replied with a cough, trying to refocus himself on the conversation she was attempting to have with him. "Chicken was great. Thanks again for your help."

"Did Kikyo like it?" she asked, clasping her bra, and suddenly he felt like the world's biggest asshole.

Kikyo…

"Yeah," he nodded, his shoulders slumping. "She liked it. Was really impressed with it - said she didn't realize I was such a good cook."

"That's good!" she chirped, slipping a shirt over her head. It was fake - the cheer in her voice - and it hurt.

"It was…'till I told her you helped."

Kagome paused as she lifted her hair out of the neck of her shirt, the hem raising ever so slightly to reveal a sliver of her abdomen above the line of her panties...and he felt his eyes glue to it.

"You... _Why?_ "

He shrugged, shoving his hands into his pants pockets and glancing down at the ground. He heard the heavy sound of the material of her jeans moving as she stepped into them, sliding the zipper up before she slipped into her socks and shoes.

"Is that why you came tonight?"

He felt his ears flatten against his head, and he winced at her tone. It was so...despondent.

"I just...I got home from it, and I needed to see you," he whispered, shifting his weight uncomfortably.

He felt her hands on his shoulders, turning him around to hug him, and he buried his face in her hair. He let her scent wash over him. Let it calm him and soothe him. Let her hands rub his back. Let her whisper soft words to him...words he couldn't understand...didn't care to understand...Not when being in her arms felt so good. So damn right…He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes and nuzzling her hair, and suddenly…

He was home.

This was home.

She pulled away from him far sooner than he would have liked, but also...he was appreciative of it.

"Let's go," he mumbled, bending down in a clear request to get onto his back.

"You can't be serious…"

He looked at her over his shoulder and scowled.

"Course I am. Don't wanna wake anyone up."

"But I'm not fifteen anymore, Inuyasha! You can't...We're going to get hurt! Let's just take the stairs."

"And wake everyone up?"

"I'd rather the whole damn town know we're going for a ride than die jumping out the window!"

"...That makes one of us."

She rolled her eyes, turning around to open her door. "I'll see you down there then, but there's _no_ way I—Inuyasha!" she yelped as he scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Calm down."

"I will _not_ calm down until you _put_ _me down!"_

"I will when we're downstairs."

"Inuyasha…" she warned and he just smirked, hopping up to her sill. "Inuyasha, I swear to _God_ …"

"I woulda thought ya'd be praying instead," he snickered, leaping down from the sill with her to gracefully land in the Higurashi's front yard. She squealed as they dropped through the air, and when he _did_ finally put her down, she scowled at him, positively _livid._

"Inuyasha…"

"You're fine."

"That's not the point," she snapped through gritted teeth, smacking his pectoral.

"Why don't you give me what for on Bessie then?" he grinned cheekily, and she just rolled her eyes, still simmering.

"You think I won't? I'll give you more than what's for. I'll give you a whole fucking dissertation on how big an ass you are."

"Complete with a cover page?"

She went to smack him again, but he just caught her hand and placed a finger over her lips. She tried looking at it, going cross-eyed in the process.

God, she was adorable. And sexy as hell when she was angry.

"Don't wanna wake up the whole town, remember?" he teased, and she glared at him as he removed his index finger.

"I'm _not_ that loud."

He bit his tongue, trying - with great restraint by the way - to not comment.

He failed. Only a little.

"Sure ya ain't," he smirked, offering her a hand as she mounted Bessie.

"I'm not!"

"Ok then."

"Inuyasha!"

He just shook his head and climbed on after her, pulling her flush with his body as he encouraged the mare to start trotting in the direction of the cliffs.

"So...How loud are ya then? I've always wondered."

He could feel her confusion before understanding settled in over her and she began yelling indignantly at him. He didn't really care though. He loved teasing her. Loved seeing her get all huffy and flustered. Ruffling her feathers...He'd missed it.

When she finally stopped, he felt her body slowly relax as she bonelessly melted into his chest. He heard her deeply inhale as if she were getting comfortable with him, and he pulled her a little bit closer, pulling a small noise of contentment from her.

It just felt right.

"Where are we headed," she murmured after a moment, ending their companionable silence.

"Our spot."

She tilted her head to smile up at him, and he wanted to run his fingers through her hair. Press a kiss to her forehead. Hold her even tighter.

"I hoped that was it. I didn't want our last ride to be the last time I went there with you…"

"Ya didn't?"

Her smile weakened a little, and he felt his heart pick up in his chest.

"It was...healing. But it wasn't a completely happy memory…"

Because the last, last time they had been there had been all sunshine and rainbows? He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from commenting on that. He didn't really want to think about that night right now. He was already feeling pretty shitty. Didn't wanna heap more onto his mood.

"Well, maybe this time will be better," he said instead, and she agreed with him.

"Yeah. Maybe."

When they got to their spot, he hopped off Bessie before helping her down. It was a good thing too, because her foot got caught in the stirrup, making her fall clumsily forward into his arms.

"Whoa there...you ok Kagome?"

"Yeah," she mumbled, a blush prettily staining her cheeks bright red. He cupped her cheek, encouraging her to look into his eyes so he could decide if she was telling a small white lie...and he was captivated by those beautiful blue eyes of hers. He could get lost staring into them. Spend hours just looking at them. His thumb absently started to rub her cheek, and her eyes fluttered closed as she leaned into his touch. The moonlight spilled over her features in just the right way. Highlighting her cheekbone and the side of her face...She was even more beautiful than usual, and he found himself leaning closer to her before his mind could catch up to what his brain was telling his body to do.

When his lips were inches from hers, that's when logic seemed to settle back in over him, and he tilted his head off to the side, gently brushing them against the side of her face instead.

"Don't scare me like that then," he breathed as her eyes fluttered back open. "I can't lose ya, Higurashi."

"Don't be dramatic," she whispered, her voice thick, and he smelled salt as her eyes became glossy. "At most, I would have just had a twisted ankle."

"This time," he tried to tease...but the longer they stood like this, staring into each other's eyes, the heavier the moment became. It was filled with this... _suffocating_ unspoken tension, it seemed, and it was becoming overwhelming. Nearly unbearable. The need to take her face in both of his hands and kiss her was crushing him.

"I guess it's a good thing I have you here to catch me when I fall then," she swallowed, her eyes scanning his face before landing on his lips. Was she thinking about it too? Did she want to kiss him as he almost had her?

He lowered his hands with far more difficulty than he had expected, pulling away from her before they did something they shouldn't.

"Should I light a fire?"

"How long are we staying out here for?" she countered, seeming to shake herself out of the funk that had overcome them both.

"I...Hadn't really thought about it," he admitted sheepishly.

"Just wanted to show up at my house and kidnap me, huh?"

"Sounded like more fun than formulating an actual plan," he shrugged, and she rolled her eyes, coming over to the fire pit and laying down on the grass in front of it.

"We don't need to light one," she decided as he stood there, looking at her stare up at the sky. "You know...I really did miss being able to see the stars. You can't see them like this in LA. Too much light pollution and...well...pollution.

"I bet," he agreed, coming to lay down beside her, crossing his arms under his head. "I never thought about what it would be like to give up the night sky like that."

"It wasn't a big deal...there were...worse things, I gave up. But I like having it back. At least for a spell…" she trailed off, and he tried to not dwell on it. She had another month and a half with them. Then she was going back.

"Do you miss it?" he found himself asking before he could stop himself, and he was internally cursing himself out the second he had.

"LA? Some things…" she admitted. "I miss the 24/7 take out. And Starbucks. And the interesting people. And the art and the unique culture…Music...Street performers..."

"Sounds like a lot of things," he swallowed thickly, closing his eyes.

"I like it here too though," she continued after a moment, and his ear flicked towards her. "I have my mom...and Souta...There's fresh air here. I feel like I can actually _breathe_. And I can see the stars...I missed the simple but hard work of living on a farm. I forgot what small-town life was like. And I missed…" she trailed off, and he turned to look at her.

Him.

_Please…_

Say him…

He _needed_ to hear her say it…

"Yeah?" he prompted after a moment, and she glanced up at him as he stared at her, his eyes pleading with her to say what felt like the impossible.

"Stepping in cow shit," she swallowed, a fake smile spreading across her face. "It's been a while since I did that. Did it the other day. It was _great_."

He smiled wryly, his heart aching a little as he turned to look at the sky again.

"Yeah. I bet."

"It's been kind of nice, being back this time," she breathed, and he felt himself listening to her every word with rapt attention. "I finally feel like…"

Like?

Like what?

"Like I'm _home_ , you know?"

Yeah. He'd felt a bit of home return to him too, since she had come back.

"And...I'm glad my car broke down in front of your ranch, Inuyasha."

He tilted his head back to the side to look at her, and saw that her eyes were already on him. Watching his every movement. His every thought.

"Yeah?"

She nodded, turning onto her side, and he mirrored the position, resting his arm on his side as he watched her nervously chew her lip.

"Yeah. I...This has been my favorite part of coming home this time."

"This?" he pressed, hoping to get more from her. He needed something more. Needed her to be more specific.

"Us. I've missed us, Inuyasha. I hated how things ended for years. This is...It feels better than closure. It feels like…A second chance."

At what?

Friendship…?

"I have too," he murmured, smiling weakly. "I...I really did miss you too, Kagome. And...I…" he took a deep, shuddering breath before exhaling, "And I'm really sorry for my part in everything too. I am. I shouldn't have forced your hand like I did. I shouldn't have been so damn scared of losing you, and I should have trusted in us more."

"Inuyasha…"

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "We were moving on, and here I am...dragging it all up again…"

"Because I don't think we've said I forgive you yet," she reasoned quietly, weighing her words carefully. "We...we talked about it, but we haven't completely forgiven each other, or ourselves, I think…And...I think we should."

"Yeah?" he whispered, swallowing.

"Yeah...I…I forgive you, Inuyasha. And I'm sorry for my part in everything too. Keeping things from you...pulling away when you were trying to help...All of it. Everything."

He slowly raised his hand and gently ran his thumb across her cheek, just under her eye.

"I forgive you, Kagome," he breathed, watching her eyes flutter shut for a moment. She tilted her head up ever so slightly, welcoming his touch, and he wanted to pull her closer...but he stopped himself. Instead, he slowly retracted his hand and watched her eyes open at the loss of his touch.

She looked slightly disappointed, but he didn't want to read into it. He couldn't.

Or the way he suddenly felt…

Free.

For the first time in seven years, he felt free. Like the dull pain he had been keeping inside for all this time was finally gone.

"So," Kagome smiled weakly. "Tell me more about this date with Kikyo?"

He groaned and rolled onto his back before reliving the whole night with her, welcoming the distraction so he didn't have to explore his feelings. She listened to his every word. To everything that had happened from the moment he had walked through the door, to when he put the chicken into the oven, to when they were sitting on the couch after dinner just watching a movie.

She had wanted to watch _When Harry Met Sally._ It had gone well enough at first, but she kept talking during the movie. And...Ok. He liked talking during movies sometimes, like when he had seen it before, or when what the other person was saying was relevant to the movie...but it was like the movie was just an excuse to do something while she talked to him. It was all mundane conversation too. And it grated on his nerves a little.

Why watch a movie if you weren't _actually_ going to watch it?

And _then_. Then she tried to make out with him! Which...he should have been all for. He should have been jumping at the chance, but he just…

The idea of making out with her wasn't really all that appealing at the moment. He was already a little irritated from watching the movie, and he just wasn't in the mood. So he had _tried_ to politely tell her that...Which only led to her awkwardly asking if they should eat the pears now...Which had led to a comment on how good dinner was...And then he had told her that Kagome had helped and…

Needless to say, the evening had gone downhill from there. Kikyo wasn't exactly _thrilled_ that Kagome had been involved. She had been...well...livid would have been putting it nicely. He had gotten out of there as soon as he could.

"Oh Inuyasha…"

"Yeah. I know," he sighed, running his fingers through his bangs. "I...I think there's something wrong with me, Kagome," he confessed quietly, keeping his eyes on the stars above. "I seem to fuck up with women so easily...You...Kikyo...Maybe I'm just...destined to be alone, ya know?"

It was true too. He was always fucking up. Ever since Kagome, he'd never had a real, true, serious long term relationship. It just hadn't felt possible since her, and he was beginning to think that maybe he was cursed. It was a solemn, sobering feeling that had been crushing him since he had left Kikyo's apartment. He didn't want it to be true...God, he didn't...but…

His track record was proving otherwise. It was telling him that yeah.

There had to be something wrong with him. He was destined to grow old alone.

He was building a house for a large family for no reason, because it was never going to happen...and that was one of his deepest fears. People his age were beginning to settle in earnest. They were playing for keeps now...and what did he have to show for it?

A failed engagement, and an inability to date.

He was a real winner, wasn't he?

Kagome was silent as she reached over to him, making him turn his head to look at her, drawing him out of his thoughts, and what he saw in her eyes took his breath away. Fire. Determination. Anger. Passion.

"Kagome—"

"—You're not cursed, Inuyasha. Do you hear me? You had a bad date. Said some stupid things. That doesn't mean you're cursed. You're too good to be alone for the rest of your life. You're still young. Your story is just getting started. If you want to...keep going after Kikyo, that's fine. You can still come back from this. It's possible, and she's wanted to be with you for years. She will get over it. If you want to end it...that's another story. But this isn't some _sign_. It was just a bad date, ok?"

He swallowed, nodding hard.

"Yeah...it was…"

"Are you going to be ok?"

He nodded, his eyes dancing across her face. Her scrunched-up forehead. Strewn together eyebrows. Serious, fiery eyes. Full lips…

"Yeah," smiled weakly. "You're right. It was just...a really, _really_ bad date."

"Ok then," she replied, rolling back onto her back for a moment, staring up at the stars again. "Hey," she began again after a moment. "Do you wanna do something crazy?"

"Crazier than jumping out your bedroom window at eleven at night?" he teased, the despondent tilt of his lips fading slightly - smoothing into a real, genuine smile.

"Much crazier," she smiled, sitting up.

His eyes widened as she stood up, peeling her shirt off. She carelessly tossed it to the side before she began working on the closures of her jeans, and he felt all of the saliva magically disappear from his mouth.

"K-kagome?"

"We're going swimming," she decided, toeing off her shoes and slipping her pants down her legs. "Or at least I am. You don't _have_ to join...but I thought it would be fun. We haven't done it in years, and you brought me all the way out here...There's no one around for miles, so no one would ever know. And I think it will be fun. When was the last time you did something crazy anyways?"

"About forty-five minutes when I jumped out of your window?"

"You gotta stop with this window stuff," she scolded, crossing her arms under her lace-clad breasts. "So, are you coming or not?"

"You don't mind that we're in our underwear?"

"No less revealing than swimwear," she shrugged, but he could pick up the slight smell of nervousness coming off of her. Probably because, if he _really_ tried, he could just make out the shape of her nipples under her bra. And he was ashamed to say that he was really trying…

"Yeah," he swallowed. "Fuck it."

He stood, removing his t-shirt and letting it drop to the ground by his feet before removing his own socks and shoes as he worked his pants down his legs. Kagome wasn't waiting for him though. She was already walking to the edge of the water, sticking a toe in.

"Oh!" She gasped, jerking her foot back. "That's brisk!"

"Well what were ya expecting?" he pressed once he had shed everything but his boxer briefs.

"Something a bit warmer than this?"

"You'll warm up soon enough," he teased, slowly sneaking up behind her.

"What makes you say tha—EEE!" She shrieked as he scooped her up, tossing her into the water. Droplets of water splashed out at him as she broke through the water's surface, sinking within it. She came sputtering back to the surface seconds later, and she looked livid.

"Inuyasha," she growled, and he felt his face break out into perhaps the first genuinely gleeful smile he had had all evening.

"You were saying it was cold!"

"So this is your solution?!" she shot back, sweeping her arm through the water to splash him.

Shit.

It _was_ brisk.

"I thought it would help!"

"Not. Helping!"

"I...Look...I meant well…"

She splashed him again, and he brought his arms up, curling his body down in an attempt to make himself smaller. A smaller target meant that fewer drops of water could hit him.

In theory.

"Get. Your. Ass. Over. Here. Now."

He winced at her tone. Yeah...maybe that hadn't been the best life choice he could have made.

"Ok! I'm coming," he grinned sheepishly, holding his hands up in the air as he slowly waded into the lake. "See?" he grimaced as he approached her. "In the water."

"Thank you. Kind of you do join…"

"I thought so—GAH!"

He had just made it with arms reach when she had grabbed his shoulders and pushed him under, completely submerging him. He came back up moments later, sputtering and coughing, greeted by her smirking face.

"I thought it would help."

He just narrowed his eyes and splashed water at her...to which she reciprocated, and he swore they spent the next twenty minutes just chasing each other around the otherwise quiet lake, seeking vengeance on the other for their latest transgression.

But the thing was…

The whole time he was chasing her, or running from her…

He knew he had a giant grin on his face. Knew that the happiness he was feeling in his chest was genuine. Knew that the laughter coming from her wasn't being faked. Knew that he hadn't felt this good in…

Years.

She splashed him one more time and instead of retaliating, the realization made him freeze, allowing her to get him again.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha? The water so cold you can't function in it anymore?" she teased, inching closer to him.

"Yeah," he nodded, his arms moving to quickly pull her to his chest, and she yelped in surprise. "Guess I better make you colder too, huh?" he mused, pulling them both under the surface of the water at the same time. They both just barely had enough time to fill their lungs with air before he submerged them, and he felt her cling tighter to him.

For heat or...something else, he didn't know. He just knew that...he liked it. But they couldn't stay that way. He pushed them back above the surface, and he heard her gasp for air, refilling her lungs as she sputtered for oxygen.

"You ok?" he panted, moving strands of her hair away from her face, and she closed her eyes, leaning into his hand ever so slightly.

"I'm with a jerk who wants to kill me," she teased, her chest heaving with each breath she took. "I don't think I'll ever be ok."

He laughed, his eyes dancing in the moonlight as he still held her flush to his body.

"Kill is a little strong," he mused, brushing more hair out of her face. It felt wet and slick...and he couldn't stop himself from doing it again.

"Murder?"

"Still a little strong."

"If you insist," she relented, her eyes darting across his face as she swallowed. Their close proximity was getting to them both...but he couldn't let go of her. Couldn't make himself do it.

"Thank you, Kagome," he murmured, cupping her cheek again.

"Yeah? For what?" she whispered, her arms tightening around his neck, pulling them just a little closer than they already were.

"Coming riding with me at crazy hours of the night. Listening to me. Cheering me up."

Her face softened, and one of her hands left his neck to rest against his cheek - her thumb gently stroking his bone.

"It's what friends do. They give what they can of themselves for each other."

"Friends…That what we are, Kagome?" he pressed, swallowing hard.

"No," she breathed, her eyes darting across his face, and he couldn't breathe. His lungs wouldn't let him. "We're best friends, aren't we?"

He tried to ignore the sting. Tried to acknowledge what she had said as the truth because...well...it had been for so many years.

"Yeah," he breathed, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. It was cold. Wet. "We are."

She tilted her head up, silently asking him for another, and he pressed one in the space between her brows. She did it again, and he moved down to the tip of her nose, watching as her eyes fluttered closed for a moment. Her hand moved up the back of his neck, tangling in his wet hair at the base of his head.

"Kags," he whispered, staring into her eyes. They were filled with so much emotion. Desire. Want. Desperation.

"Yash," she murmured, biting the inside of her lip ever so slightly.

This time neither of them rebuked the name. He didn't want to, and it shook him...and neither did she.

He watched her eyes search his face, looking for something...and he couldn't help but wonder if she would find what it was. He supposed she must have, because her hand gently pulled his head down to hers, and she kissed his forehead. The place between his eyebrows. The tip of his nose.

She pulled away from him, biting her lip in thought.

"I feel like I'm playing a dangerous game," she mused, her words no louder than a whisper. "And I know I should stop, but I can't."

He wanted to ask her what she meant, but the gentle press of her lips against his cleared all of his thoughts from his brain in a matter of milliseconds. It was lighter than the flap of a butterflies wing - so faint a part of him wondered if he had imagined it…

But if he had, how come he could still feel her lips? How come the sensation of her kiss still lingered?

"Kagome?" he murmured, his eyes dancing across her face, trying to figure out what was going on with her? What was happening inside that head of hers?

"Just wanted to do that one last time," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear, echoing his same words from that fateful day.

"One last time?" he breathed, his heart lodging itself in his throat. "We seem to have a lot of those, don't we?"

"It's because we keep saying goodbye…"

...When really they should be saying hello.

* * *

A/N: Ok. Color me IMPRESSED. Everyone really pulled through for that for an early update...and...true to my word...Here it is!! 

And...Because I'm SO impressed...

And because I love the next chapter even MORE than this one...(Hard to imagine...but yes. Yes I do. Because there's some... _heat_ in it...)

_**I'm going to offer everyone a chance to play that game ONE last time.** _

My original update date for chapter 18 is 10/27. 

_**If you get this to 230 reviews by 10/20...I'll update a week early. 220 by 20/23 and I'll update then. 210 by 10/25, and I'll update then.** _

_**PLEASE NOTE THESE NUMBERS ARE DIFFERENT ON FFN AND THEY MUST BOTH BE MET FOR ME TO UPDATE.** _

YOU HOLD THE POWER GUYS!!

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

And really...Aside from this hopefully being fun for you...seeing all the reviews really does make me smile. They are an excellent little reminder that people LOVE what I do, and even if all you do is keyboard smash...It still makes my day a little, just like this story hopefully makes your day a little. 

Also, if you don't follow me on tumblr...

NOW IS THE TIME. 

_**I'm doing a One Last Ride Halloween Smut Reblog game in ONE WEEK.** _

And it will be FILTHY and DELICIOUS. I'll have details for that on my tumblr in a few days because I need to make that specific announcement still, but the game starts on 10/16!!!

And...If you want to reach chapter 18 even earlier, you should check out my tumblr anyways because I have details for that plastered all over the place! Just search for lemonlushff!

Until next time...

_Whenever that is..._

-LL


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe, but I sure do love playing with them. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 18

Inuyasha nuzzled into the soft pillow under his head, sighing in contentment. It was a bit firmer than he remembered it being though. And as he brought his hand up next to his face, he found himself wondering when he had started using a lace pillow case.

Wait…

He didn't use lace pillow cases…

His eyes snapped open and he was met with the navy blue lace of a bra. He jumped up, looking down at the still sleeping woman _he_ had been sleeping on. Kagome…

That's right.

They had laid down in the grass after their little swimming adventure, wanting to dry off and warm up before they redressed, and they must have just...fallen asleep together. He smiled looking down at her. The way the warm sunrise bathed her in a golden light...spilled across her hair and cheek bones...Highlighted the peaks and valleys of her breasts...She was beautiful. Not even in a sexy way, though...yes. She was obviously that too. She was just...She looked like a painting, and he wished he could capture it.

He laid back down on his side, ignoring the temptation to use her as his pillow again. Instead, he settled for just watching her sleep, a contented smile spreading across his face. Coming to her last night had been…

Well.

He didn't know if it was the wisest choice still, but he had been right. Seeing her had put him at ease and comforted him, and it was just what he had needed. Talking with her. Smelling her. Holding her.

...Kissing her…

He felt his gut twist a little at that wonderful reminder.

Fuck.

What the hell was he doing?

Wait...what the hell was _she_ doing? He was dating Kikyo! No...they weren't exclusive...and no...he wasn't even totally sure if they _were_ still dating...But that didn't matter! She couldn't go around just... _kissing_ him whenever she felt like it, damnit! No matter how much he liked it and wanted her to do it again, and more passionately...

His eyes widened at the thought and he internally groaned.

He was a mess, wasn't he?

Ever since Kagome _fucking_ Higurashi walked back into his life...everything had been turned upside down. There was no other explanation for it. He was questioning everything. All of his choices. Entangling himself with her. Seeing her nearly every morning...wanting to see her every evening…

He was acting like he still loved her.

But that was impossible, right?

They weren't the same people they had been seven years ago, and seven years was a long fucking time. He should be over her by now!

He _was_ over her!

That's why he was dating Kikyo. And he liked dating her! No, he wasn't going to go off and propose to her later today but...She was a sweet woman. Attractive. His mother really liked her...And...Well...why the hell _not_ Kikyo? Kagome sure as hell wasn't an option. Not that he wanted her to be, anyways. She was going back to good ol' Cali.

Besides.

He had done the whole date and try to marry Kagome thing. That had worked out _wonderfully_ last time.

So...yeah. Kikyo. In fact, he was going to call and ask her to lunch so he could apologize later today. Yeah. Tell her he was sorry...hadn't been thinking...just wanted to make it up to her for canceling on her...Just wanted to do something sweet for her...He just hadn't thought it all the way through, asking for Kagome's help. He should have tried to do it on his own before he accepted her help.

That would set things back on track for them...he was sure of it.

And then, he could focus on Kikyo and forget all about Kagome pulling him down for that kiss yesterday.

That kiss…

He sighed, and she rolled over, as if she were searching him out, missing the heat from his body. He felt himself smile softly, carefully moving to lay the length of his body against hers again, and she snuggled into him. It felt good. Their bodies still fit perfectly together. Just how he remembered it.

He internally groaned again.

Kikyo. He was focusing on _Kikyo_. After this and he took Kagome home, he needed to focus on what _could_ be instead of wishing for something that _could never_ be.

Not that he was even wishing for it.

Because that would be crazy.

Thinking about her kiss again would be crazy.

Thinking about how hopeful she had looked when she asked him if he was going to the chilli and barbeque cook off was stupid. Thinking about how excited he was to make plans to get paint samples with her for his house was insane. Looking forward to painting it with her was even crazier.

He was losing his fucking mind.

Only explanation for all of this.

Maybe...if he really did want to give things with Kikyo a solid chance, he should involve her a bit with the house too. She could end up living there one day, if things got serious between them. Which he should be trying to do. Make things serious.

The thing was…

When he was with Kagome, he was reminded of how good relationships could feel. Sure, things were still awkward between them sometimes...but...when he was with her, he was more himself than with anyone else. And he liked that.

He needed to make more of an effort with Kikyo to feel the same way.

Kagome wrapped her arm around his back - either intentionally, or unintentionally, and he closed his eyes. He just...Before he went off and started on all of this stuff with Kikyo, he wanted to just...have a moment of enjoying this with Kagome. Before he made himself pull away from her again.

Because he was getting the feeling that if he wanted things to work with Kikyo...he was going to need to separate himself from Kagome.

And he wasn't going to examine why the hell that made him so fucking sad. He wasn't going to dive into the depths of his psyche and analyze himself at the moment, though. Not today, and certainly not right now.

Kagome stirred, her shoulders shifting slightly as her eyes slowly opened.

Those eyes…

The way the sunlight hit them, he felt like he was looking at the ocean at sunrise.

He'd never need to go to a beach so long as he could look into those beautiful eyes of hers.

"Hey," she smiled shyly, rubbing her eyes before yawning.

Just like that, his brain shut up, giving him a moment of peace for the first time since he had woken up.

"Hey sleepy head," he whispered, running his fingers through her hair to move it away from her face.

"Were you up long?"

"Nah...just woke up a few minutes ago. I think it was because of the sunrise. I've been watching it." Kind of. More like watching her bathed in it's light.

"Sunrise," she murmured, her brow wrinkling in confusion before smoothing, her face breaking out in excitement. "Oh!" she gasped, sitting up to look at the sky. It was on fire. Beautiful pinks and oranges surrounded the cliffs, making the whole world glow.

"You should have woken me up - I would have watched with you," she gently scolded, and he shrugged.

"You looked peaceful. I wanted to let you sleep after last night."

"Thanks," she smiled shyly. "I was exhausted. I guess we kinda fell asleep here, huh?"

"There are worse places to fall asleep, and with worse people," he reasoned, making a sweet blush spread across her cheeks.

"There are," she agreed, running her hands up and down her arms a few times.

"Cold?"

"I—"

He didn't wait for her to respond, pulling her to him and depositing her in his lap, wrapping his limbs around her until he cocooned her nearly naked flesh.

"Yash," she laughed. "I could have just gotten dressed!"

Yash. For once...it made him smile.

"And missed the sunrise? It will be over before ya know it and then you can get dressed 'n' we can get outta here. Make some bacon and eggs at your house? Cup of coffee? Maybe pick out some paint colors?"

"Mmm…" she sighed, leaning back into him. "I kinda like the sound of that. Breakfast and paint samples. You know how to sweet talk a girl."

He barked out a laugh at that.

"I wouldn't say it's sweet talking, but since I gotta take ya home anyways…"

"What, you don't want to abandon me twelve miles from home?"

"...I mean, it's certainly crossed my mind before…"

She lightly swatted his arm, knowing he was teasing, yet not caring all the same. It was nice. Joking like this...it felt like old times.

He felt her melt into his arms as the looked out at the cliffs, the flowers gently swaying in the early morning breeze. It was peaceful. Relaxing. He didn't want it to end, honestly...and he wondered if she felt the same way.

"I missed the sunrise over the cliffs," she murmured contentedly, and he rest his chin on the top of her head.

"Nothing quite like it, huh?"

"There really isn't...There's something about just...sitting back and appreciating nature's beauty...I wish I did it more."

"Not a lot of natural beauty to appreciate in LA?"

"Smog kind of ruins what little there is," she bemoaned, sighing. "Besides. LA doesn't have anything quite like this anyways. Wide open fields...lakes...cliffs...rolling grassy hills…"

Montana was one of the best places on earth. He still didn't get why anyone would want to leave...but...he was too happy and content to voice that opinion. He didn't want a fight. She'd made her choice. They were moving on. And she was back. For the next month and a half, at least.

Fuck.

Was it really a month and a half?

It felt like he'd just found her again...found their friendship again...and he was going to lose her as soon as he blinked. Were they going to keep in touch this time? Or was she just going to up and leave? See her maybe during the holidays. Occasionally see a new photo of her on facebook. Watch her start dating other guys on social media. Could he do that?

Or would they really talk? Text each other about their day, talk on the phone sometimes...watch movies together from time to time over the phone. He could already hear her yelling at him to wait for her to put the popcorn in before hitting play. He'd yell at her about why she was taking so long. She'd complain about this or that...and he'd listen and let her vent...and then swear because her popcorn bowl was dirty because she hadn't done dishes yet. So he'd tease her about never being ready on time...About being a slob...About how he had gone to the kitchen, grabbed a beer, and made it back to his room...and she _still_ wasn't ready...

"You didn't change your number," he commented, rather out of the blue. To her at least. She had no idea the chaos swirling around in his head right now.

"Huh? Oh! No...why would I?"

"I don't know...I guess...I just thought that you might have. When you switched phone plans or something."

"I'm still on my mom's plan. I pay my share of it, because I insisted...but it's cheaper for all of us if I stayed on her plan so...I never changed it. I probably would have moved my number anyways," she shrugged. "I liked it. And everyone has it saved anyways. Just easier. Why?"

"I...Tried it last night. When I came over. You didn't pick up, though."

She didn't say anything - keeping her eyes on the sky.

"I wasn't sure," she whispered after a moment. "I thought it might have been...but...I also thought my mind was playing tricks on me. That maybe I was just seeing what I wanted to see."

"Does...that mean...You deleted my number?" he asked hesitantly. He had done the same. He shouldn't have been surprised if she had as well.

"It hurt too much, looking at my phone. Seeing that text history. It felt like...I was letting go, by doing it. I was trying to start a new chapter of my life. It felt like a good way to start that new chapter."

He said nothing - just letting her words roll around in his head. Take purchase in his being. Hearing about her after...it helped flesh those missing years out for him. Helped fill in the blanks of who she was now. He liked hearing about it. The good and the bad and the painful.

"I'd also like to point out," she continued after a beat, "that this is a rather strange conversation to be having in our underwear."

"As I recall, it's because someone wanted to go swimming last night."

"And you loved it - don't lie," she teased. "Are you...feeling better?" she asked nervously, turning around in his arms to look at him as best she could.

"Yeah - I think so. I think...I'm gonna call Kikyo later today. Apologize. Ask her to lunch. Apologize again. I think I don't wanna throw in the towel yet."

"Oh? When did you decide this?"

"This morning? Before you woke up? I was thinking about it. What I wanted to do."

"I thought you were just watching the sun rise," she joked, but it sounded a little...hollow.

"I was. And I was thinking. She's a good woman. And she's smart and funny...Works with kids...She's active at church...Ma really likes her...And she's pretty...And she's smitten with me. It was one bad date. I don't want to let that get in the way of something that could be good, ya know?"

"Yeah," she breathed. "I...Yeah." She said nothing for a moment, and he rest his head on her shoulder, closing his eyes and breathing her in. Sadness. She smelled of sadness and concern.

"You think it's a mistake?"

"I think…" she began slowly after a moment, "that you need to do what you think is right for you. I think, you think, that she could be right for you, and I think, if you think she could be the one, then you're right. You need to apologize and see where this takes you."

"But do you think it's a mistake?" he pressed, unsatisfied with her response. That was a politician's response. He wanted a real one. Not this bullshit.

"How can I think something is a mistake if I'm not a part of it," she swallowed. "I just...Want you to be happy, Inuyasha. Nothing more, nothing less. If she makes you happy, then no. I don't think it's a mistake."

"Ok then," he murmured, tilting his head down to rest his forehead where his chin had been on her shoulder.

"Ok then," she replied, and they spent the rest of the sunrise, curled up together, watching the sun climb higher and higher into the sky until the reds and oranges disappeared.

* * *

Inuyasha hopped off of Bessie, removing the tack from her back. Breakfast with Kagome had been...Everything. They made it back to her house, and her mother greeted them with a knowing look and a hot pot of coffee.

"You two are up early," she passively commented as they walked through the front door.

"Yeah," Kagome had blushed, pushing her hair behind her ears. "Inuyasha came by and we decided to go for a ride."

"I see," her mother smirked, pouring them each a cup of coffee. "I suppose it's a good thing I made all this extra bacon and eggs this morning then, isn't it?"

Extra. As in her mother already expected him, and knew he would be coming for breakfast somehow.

"Thanks Mama," Kagome blushed, taking her cup from the woman and drinking from it. Her head rolled back onto her shoulders, a contented sigh parting her lips.

"You're welcome Dear," she grinned, watching Kagome place her mug onto the table as she began making a play for herself and Inuyasha - her mother having left the bacon and eggs out on the stove.

"And here's one for you, Dear," Mrs. Higurashi smiled, handing the cup to Inuyasha, but she didn't let go right away when he went to take it from her. "Inuyasha…" she whispered so only he could hear. "You have a key now. You don't need to sneak into my daughter's bedroom anymore. You're both adults now, and I'm a bit worried about the structural integrity of my window sills."

He probably looked like a fish in that moment - mouth hanging open, eyes slightly bulging...Mrs. Higurashi hooked a finger under his chin and encouraged it to close as his brain went reeling with the knowledge that they really _had_ known. All these years...He hadn't been nearly as stealthy as he had once though, had he?

"You knew…And you never said anything?"

"We trusted you both. Perhaps more than we should have...but we always thought you would be our son one day," she smiled sadly. "Just use the front door from now on, alright Inuyasha?"

He nodded, watching her leave the room, his mind still in a complete state of shock.

After that...He and Kagome had shared a pleasant meal, filled with conversation with the two of them making plans. Plans to meet up for a little bit at the cook off...Plans to pick up paint for his house...And he told her he liked her article. The way she portrayed him, and what he was doing and his experience...it was nice. Honest. Personal. It was really rather good.

He understood why her bosses were giving her a little leeway, letting her work remotely at the ranch. It made sense.

Now he was home again, and he was dreading going inside. He couldn't shower and change at the Higurashis' house, so he _knew_ the second he set foot inside, he was going to get looks from his father about the way he smelled. And if he was lucky, it would _only_ be his father, and not Sesshomaru verbally piling on.

He was sure his whole body smelled like Kagome. Kagome and the lake and grass and dirt and Bessie...and he was supposed to smell like Kikyo, and nothing else. They knew he had a date with her last night.

Coming back smelling like _another_ woman…

Yeah. He was in for it. And he _really_ didn't want to explain anything to his mother.

Inuyasha sighed, making sure Bessie had enough to eat and drink before locking up the stable behind him.

If he was lucky, he could sneak inside, sneak into the shower, and stash his clothes for about a week until the smell went away.

Unfortunately, he wasn't lucky.

His father was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the paper on his phone and drinking a cup of coffee. He had gotten him a digital subscription a few years back for Father's Day so that the paper wouldn't have to be delivered all the way out here. It wasn't even on time, half the time...coming in the early evening's instead of the morning like it was supposed to. His father had resisted it at first..but quickly grew to appreciate the joys of a digital paper instead of a physical paper copy.

Touga looked up at his son as the storm door clamered shut behind him, and Inuyasha winced.

"Mornin'," his father greeted, picking up his cup of coffee and taking a long, slow sip from it.

"Hey Pops…"

His father put the cup down and carefully looked his son up and down. It was pointed. Calculated. Completely silent.

"Ok then," his father decided, nodding his head, and turning his attention back to his phone.

"Aren't ya gonna yell at me?"

"Bessie back in one piece?" his father countered, not looking up from his phone.

"Yeah."

"Then nope."

Inuyasha felt the air he had been keeping captive in his chest woosh out, giving his father a small smile of thanks before rounding the corner and heading for the stairs to go shower.

He was too slow.

"Baby! You're home! How did it go last night? Did you and Kikyo have fun?"

Straight into the jaws of the beast herself. Fuck. What the hell was he supposed to tell his _mother_?

And his father was sitting right there...He might keep his mouth closed about some things, but if he outright _lied_ to his mother...he was going to be screwed. His dad would be able to smell the lie all over him.

Ok…

Did he and Kikyo have fun…

He thought back to when she poured him a drink, laughing at a stupid pop culture referance he had made.

"Yeah. We had fun."

The whole evening might not have been a dream come true, but there _had_ been parts that he had enjoyed.

"Oh that's wonderful! I said you must be! You were out all night," his mother beamed, dragging him back into the kitchen to sit at the table with his father. "What did you do?"

"Dinner? Movie?"

"Is that all?" she pressed, giving him a knowing look, and he felt his cheeks burn bright red.

"Ma!"

"I just want to know how your relationship is progressing baby! You don't know how happy I am that you two are tagether," she explained, a grin spreading across her face from ear to ear.

"We don't need to know _every_ detail of his life though, Sweetie," his father replied. "Give the boy a little privacy - some things a man don't wanna share with his Ma, Love."

Inuyasha shot his father a grateful smile, and made to leave, but his mother stopped him yet again.

"Did you eat yet Baby? Are ya hungry? I can whip something up for ya!"

"I'm fine Ma, I ate before I came home."

"You did, did you…"

"Ma!" he groaned. "I'm gonna go 'n' shower. I'll see you both later," he mumbled, standing from his chair and slipping out of the room before his mother could ask any _more_ prying questions. This was a conversation he had never wanted nor needed to have with her.

He sighed as he entered the bathroom, trying to get his conversation with his mother out of his head as he flipped the switch and turned on the water in the shower. God he really needed a shower. He slipped his shirt over his head, the act of lifting his shirt caused the fabric to wrinkle...and in turn...it made Kagome's scent flood the bathroom.

Kagome…

The image of her redressing that morning flooded his head as he toed off his socks and shoes. He was reminded of her the way her breasts nearly spilled out of her bra as she leaned down to pick up her shirt. He unbuckled his pants, pushing them down his legs as his blood rushed south from the memory of that navy blue lace against her skin. The look of her panties framing her ass.

No.

Stop it.

He wasn't supposed to be thinking about her like that. Shouldn't be remembering the look of her breasts as she dressed the other night. Shouldn't remember the patch of curls between her legs…

"Fuck," he sighed, looking down his body at his cock. He wasn't full mast, but it was getting there...And it _had_ been a while since he had indulged himself. Of course his body was reacting. He shook his head, pulling back the curtain and hopping into the shower. The warm spray of water from the shower head coated him, running down the hard plains of his body and drenching his hair. He picked up a bar of soap, running it over his chest and his eyes closed, his lust making his nipples pebble as his fingers unintentionally brushed against them.

Fucking fuckety _fuck!_

This wasn't helping...He wanted to ignore it...but he couldn't keep himself from absently palming his cock, the image of Kagome floating past his mind's eye again. The desire was too strong to overcome. His erection was there in full force and he _knew_ there was only one way to get rid of it now.

He couldn't jerk off while thinking of her though. He _couldn't_. If he was going to do this, he should at least be thinking of something else. _Someone_ else.

 _Kikyo_.

He should be thinking about Kikyo.

He closed his eyes, remembering the way she looked in her red jumpsuit the night before. The way the low V of her neckline exposed the edges of her breasts...He should be focusing on that. He thought about her hands on his skin...her lips pressing kisses to his neck before moving lower, and to his back.

 _'Let me help you with that…'_ she purred into his pointed ear, sucking at the tip. _'That looks so painful...Let me help you get rid of it…'_

He placed the soap down, allowing his hands to smooth over his body, indulging in his fantasy. Coaxing his body to respond to her imagined touch.

_'God I want to taste you...Want to feel you in the back of my throat…'_

He wrapped his hand around his shaft, giving it a tug, imagining that it was her hands on him instead of his own.

"Yes," he breathed, his head rolling back onto his shoulders. God it had been too long since he had touched himself. It felt _so_ fucking good.

Steam filled his bathroom the longer he stood under the shower's spray, working his hand up and down his erection. It felt muggy. Hot. The thick air swirling around him, lifting Kagome's scent off his clothing. It infiltrated his senses. Submerged him in her presence.

 _'Inuyasha,'_ Kikyo whimpered, coming to stand before him, and he imagined her slowly stripping off her red jumpsuit to reveal navy blue lace underwear. Her black hair became shorter. Curlier. Completely different from how she wore it the night before. When he looked at her face, he was staring at someone else.

Kagome...

 _'You like what you see, don't you,'_ she smirked. _'You want to touch me, Yash?'_

He did...He really did…

_'Give me a show first...Stroke that cock of yours for me…'_

"God," he whimpered, as he imagined her hands reaching behind her back to remove her bra. Her breasts bounced free from their confinement, and he bit the inside of his lip. So perfect...Kagome was so perfect…

His hand gave himself another teasing tug, picturing Kagome before him. Her hands on her breasts...pinching her nipples…

_'Show me how much you want me, Yash…'_

He wanted her. He wanted her so badly. He imagined her slipping those navy blue lace panties back down her legs, her hand sliding over her pussy as she absently palmed it.

"Kagome…"

_'Show me…'_

He picked up his pace as she spread herself for him to see, her fingers coming to her clit and rubbing it slowly. Sensually. Teasingly.

More. He needed more.

Fuck it was so good, but it wasn't enough.

His mind helped him.

They were suddenly back at their spot, both completely naked. She was no longer standing before him. Now, she was on her back...the moonlight highlighting every dip and curve of her wet, glistening body as it had the night before. Her head rolled backwards, causing her to arch. He wanted to taste her breasts as they were thrust into the air. Wanted to run his tongue over her pink nipples.

 _'Show me…'_ she begged, her eyes racking down his body as her hand continued to swirl around her clit.

_'Mmm...Do you like what you see? Do you like watching me as I touch myself? I want you to watch me. I want you to see how wet you make me. Can you smell how turned on I am by you?'_

His hand slipped between his legs to his sack as the other palmed the tip of his cock. He rolled his balls between his fingers, gently tugging and fondling his sack just the way he liked it.

"Kagome…" he breathed, picking up his pace. He moved his hand faster - tugged his shaft more firmly.

_'Yash…'_

He couldn't take it anymore. His mind was done teasing. He climbed over her body, pulling her hands away from her dripping cunt, and he pictured himself rubbing the head of his shaft across her. He coated himself in her juices before he imagined sliding into her body.

_'Oh! Inuyasha!'_

"Kagome," he panted, leaning forward to rest an arm against the wall of the shower.

He began thrusting inside her, her legs wrapping around his waist.

_'Yash!'_

"Kagome…"

He was so close...his blood was burning as he stroked himself harder and faster until finally the coil inside himself snapped.

 _"Kagome!"_ he whimpered as his orgasm ran through his body - thick ropes of cum painting the side of the shower white as he spilled himself over it. He planted both hands on the wall before him, his back curling as he leaned forward, panting and eyes pinched closed.

What...What had he done…

"Fuck," he whimpered, disgust and anger and disappointment washing through himself as he opened his eyes, looking at the proof of his pleasure slowly sliding down the wall.

"Kagome...Fuck…"

He had meant to do this thinking about Kikyo...but...Somehow that sneaky woman had infiltrated his thoughts instead. And he was left feeling disgusted and ashamed of himself. God...What the hell was wrong with him? Did he like torturing himself?

Clearly he must, since he thought about Kagome like that again. It wasn't the same as when he was a kid. He shouldn't be thinking like her like that anymore. _Hadn't_ thought like her like that in... _years_.

Why was he doing this to himself? Was it because of last night? Because he had…

He sighed, leaning his head back against his shoulders, looking up at the ceiling above through the swirling steam of his shower.

He should have looked away last night. Shouldn't have gone swimming with her. Shouldn't have held her wet body to his...Shouldn't have welcomed her kiss…

She was plaguing him. God help him, she was plaguing him. She was consuming his every thought, infiltrating his fantasies...stirring his blood…

"Best friends…" he mused, a wry smile curling his lips upwards.

Yeah.

Best friends didn't jerk off thinking about one another.

Not unless there was something more there.

And there couldn't be more there. He needed to remember what had happened the last time he had tried to have a relationship with her. He needed to remember that she was leaving in a month and a half. Needed to remember that he had a woman _here_ who had no intention of leaving. A woman who liked him and wanted him and treated him with kindness and respect...a woman who lusted for him…

A woman he was hurting.

"Fuck," he sighed, his ears lowering to his hair.

He needed to get his head on straight. Clean up...call her...make amends…

A knock came from the door, but he couldn't hear it over the rush of water around him. Instead, he started cupping his hands to wash his mess off the side of the shower before Sesshomaru could use it and smell it.

_"Inuyasha? Baby?"_

He thought he heard something, but he wasn't sure, so he continued washing himself - grabbing a bottle of shampoo and squirting a dollop into the palm of his hand before working it through his long silver mane.

_"Inuyasha?"_

That time he heard his mother, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when she opened the curtain, and his hands flew to cover his dick on reflex.

"MA!"

"You have a visitor downstairs, baby. Two of them."

"So you needed to come in and interrupt me when I'm showering?!"

Oh my god...if she had come by a few minutes earlier…Thank _god_ his hard on was gone now!

"I do so you will hurry it up!" she replied. "You've been in here for a while."

_"GOOD BYE MA!"_

He pulled the shower curtain closed again, pinching his eyes shut as he continued washing himself.

He really needed to finish his fucking house.

* * *

Inuyasha nervously took the stairs two at a time, grabbing the first clean clothes he saw as soon as he got into his room. He had no idea why the hell he had _two_ visitors, but the fact that his mother had barged into his shower meant that it probably wasn't good.

"In here, Inuyasha!" his brother called rather gleefully, and Inuyasha felt his blood run cold as smells began to register in his brain.

Oh hell.

Kagome _and_ Kikyo?!

What had he done to deserve this?

Who had he fucked over in a past life?

Could they call it even? Please?

Inuyasha nervously entered the livingroom to find his _entire_ family sitting there, talking with the two women. Glasses of lemonade had been set out along with a plate of cookies...yet Sesshomaru sat at the end of the couch next to his father with a bowl of popcorn on his lap. The shit eating grin he had plastered across his face…

Sesshomaru was _really_ enjoying this, huh?

"You have some visitors," Sesshomaru informed him, his eyes dancing with excitement, and Inuyasha had to keep himself from rolling his eyes. No shit. "We've been entertaining them for you while you've been... _showering_."

He needed to finish his fucking house.

He _needed_ to finish his fucking house.

No more side orders.

No more social life.

He woke up at the crack of dawn, worked the Higurashi's ranch, came back here and worked their ranch, and then it was working on his house until he fell asleep nailing the hardwoods down.

Rinse.

Repeat.

"I didn't realize now would be a bad time," Kagome began nervously, and Kikyo shot her what could only best be described as a death glare. "I didn't think you'd be showering right now."

"I, uh...was just...feeling like I needed it. Kinda gross and dirty. Pretty hot out there, today."

"Are you feeling any _cleaner_ now?" Sesshomaru smirked, and his father smacked him upside the head, doing his best to keep from laughing. _Great_. They _both_ knew.

"Yes...thanks for asking," he ground out, trying to ignore the confused looks the women shot him.

Really. Had he been forgiven yet? Could whoever he pissed off in his past life _please_ forgive him? What would it take? Seriously? Because at this point he was more than willing to do it to get this to stop.

"This is, uh...unexpected?"

"But not unwelcome," Sesshomaru grinned, picking up a few pieces of popcorn and munching on them.

He wouldn't kill his brother...his father would kill _him_.

"No...not unwelcome," he slowly agreed, looking back and forth between the women. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Well, you were in the shower for a _long_ time, Inuyasha…"

He shot his brother a glare, clenching his hands. Why couldn't he kill him again?

Right.

His father.

Who was doing everything in his power to not burst out laughing right now.

He was glad his social life was so fucking funny to everyone. A grand ol' source of entertainment.

Then again, if they knew what he had been doing int he shower, it was likely that they had heard him call Kagome's name while he's supposed to be dating Kikyo...Oh god...Oh _fuck_ him…

"It's fine, Inuyasha," Kikyo smiled, standing from the chair and taking his hand. "Can we...go somewhere to talk? Just the two of us?"

"His bedroom should be pretty clean," Sesshomaru offered, and this time his father placed a hand on Sesshomaru's knee, trying to give him his best 'enough is enough' look. It doesn't quite land when you look like you're about to burst out laughing, however.

"Why don't we go outside?" he offered, catching the nervous look in Kagome's eyes as he took Kikyo's hand. Was it because he was going to talk to Kikyo and she had no idea what it was about? Or was it because he was about to leave her alone with his mother, who now hated her guts, and his brother who was a lunatic, and his father who was doing his best to keep his shit together?

He shot her an apologetic look, and her eyes softened, giving him a small nod.

She would be ok.

Uncomfortable.

But ok.

He led Kikyo out the front door as Sesshomaru asked Kagome how her night was last night, and he had to fight every instinct in his body begging him to go back in there and slap Sesshomaru upside the head himself this time.

The storm door clattered shut behind him as Kikyo sat down on the bench outside the front door. She moved her hair behind her ears, looking at her lap before looking up at Inuyasha, determination set in her gaze.

"Why is Kagome here?" she demanded, and his stomach was instantly in knots.

"Honestly? No idea. Didn't know either of ya were coming or I wouldn't have showered when I did."

And that was the truth too.

He just _had_ to jerk off. First time in forever, and this was what happened when he did? Next time, he was gonna take Bessie, ride to the middle of fucking no where, and just do it in a fucking feild. It was worth it if he could avoid _this_ mess.

"I'm glad _you_ came though," he continued, running his fingers through his still damp hair. "Listen...I wanted to talk to ya about last night—"

"—Me too," she interrupted, guilt blossoming across her features and in her scent. "I...Inuyasha, I over reacted."

"No," he disagreed, sitting beside her and taking her hands in his. "I was an ass. Trust me. Sessh will agree," he smiled weakly, and it made her lips turn up ever so slightly around the edges.

"Maybe," she agreed, "But...So was I. You were trying to do something really nice and special for me...and you were going out of your way to make me a nice dinner and not screw it up…"

"I could have asked anyone for help though...it didn't have to be _her_."

"No...it didn't…" she agreed slowly, almost as if she were calculating what to say next. "But I'm assuming...history aside...that it's because she works for that magazine? I heard she does a lot of cooking for it? She was talking about it a little, while we were waiting."

Oh hell. He hadn't even _thought_ about what all they might have talked about when he wasn't there.

Why oh why oh _why_ did he choose to shower when he got home?

"Yeah," he nodded. "She has a lot more experience with it than I do. They ask her to do these comparison recipes and shit all the time...Little tips 'n' tricks…"

"...So she mentioned," Kikyo nodded slowly, her lips pursing together. Was she upset that he knew about her job?

"Listen…" he began nervously, running his thumb across her knuckles. "I really _am_ glad you came. I was gonna call you 'round now anyways. I wanted to apologize for being an unthinking, insensitive ass...And also ask if you could find it in your heart to forgive me, and give us another go?"

He watched Kikyo's shoulders slump in relief and a genuine smile broke out across her face.

"I'd like that, Inuyasha. We're still...relatively new? I think some fighting is to be expected?"

He sighed, bringing her hand up to his lips, gently brushing them against her knuckles.

"Yeah," he breathed. "We're still figuring it all out. Seeing how we fit."

"Pretty well so far?" she asked hopefully, and he shoved the part of himself screaming 'NO!' down and away.

"You think so?" he replied, turning the question around onto her as his stomach nervously twisted.

"I think so...I think...it's worth fighting for, at least."

The look she gave him was serious. Heavy. It made him swallow.

"I agree," he replied, trying his best to not make his words sound strained. "Do you maybe wanna grab lunch tomorrow? Call it a fresh start, so to speak?"

"I'd like that," she grinned, leaning forward to kiss his lips. It was chaste and sweet...and wrong. He felt himself immediately remembering his kiss with Kagome from the night before.

He shouldn't be thinking about his kiss with her, when kissing another woman.

Kikyo leaned in to kiss him again, trying to coax him into responding, and he reluctantly did so, allowing her tongue to slip into his mouth. As he kissed her, however, he felt like it was half hearted. Like he was just indulging her.

He needed to find that flame of desire in himself for her again. The one he had had before…

...Before Kagome had come back. Before they had made amends. Slept in each other's arms. Kissed.

Was spending time with Kagome like pressing a self destruct button?

And if it was…

Why did he want to push it?

When Kikyo pulled away from him, she looked up at him through the fringe of her lashes, trying to look coy and sweet...and it just...didn't quite hit the mark for him. It looked…

Desperate.

Was she? He knew she liked him, but she couldn't be desperate to be with him could she?

"You're always such a good kisser, Inuyasha…"

That...hadn't been a good kiss. Either her experience was really lacking, or she was just saying what she thought she wanted him to hear. If it was the last one, it made his stomach twist in a way he just didn't like.

"Glad you think so," he replied, genuinely unsure how to respond.

"I think a lot of things about you," she blushed, moving one of his hands to her knee before sliding it upwards.

"I...do too…" he replied, swallowing hard. "I...we should probably go check on everyone else though? Since we cleared the air and all."

She released his hand as he removed it from her leg, standing up.

"I can't...I actually need to get going," she replied, glancing down at her watch. "I'm helping set up for the festival. You're coming, right? Lots of great food...drinks...music…"

"Yeah. Wouldn't miss it," he reassured as she stood, placing her hands on his shoulders.

"Then it's a date. I'll see you there and we can wander around together. It will be fun!"

"I'm looking forward to it," he nodded, trying to swallow the lump in his throat as they kissed again before he walked her to her car and bid her farewell with another chaste peck.

When he could no longer see her car as she carefully peeled down the driveway back to the main road, he turned around and looked at his parent's house, his stomach filling with dread.

He'd put one potentially raging fire out.

Now he had another one to deal with. And he _really_ wasn't looking forward to it. He could feel his stomach twisting painfully with each step he took until he was staring at the four people he had left alone while he had spoken with Kikyo.

Kagome's hands were nervously fidgeting with her nails, while Sesshomaru could hardly contain his excitement. It looked like he was about to burst.

"Hi Baby," his mother greeted, and he was slightly taken aback by her cool tone. "What did Kikyo want?"

"She just…" he began, unsure of what to tell her. He had lied to her that morning, to a certain extent, when she had asked how his date had gone. What was he supposed to say now? They had made amends and were going to give dating another go?

Fat fucking chance. That would just lead to a conversation about where he was all night...which _wasn't_ a conversation he was in the mood to have right now.

Or ever.

"We're going to meet up at the festival. She left to go help set up for it. She just wanted to come ask if I could help with it too, but I told her I had to work on my house today."

Sesshomaru was practically snickering, and his father poked him in the side before picking out a few pieces of popcorn from his son's bowl.

"I like that about her, you know," his mother continued, leaning back slightly in her chair as she picked up a glass of lemonade. "I like how involved she is in this community. She's a beautiful smile everyone recognizes for her good deeds here. Always willing to lend a hand when needed. Never thought about running out on her roots. She's planting them firmly in our soil here."

The loud crunching of his father and brother eating popcorn was the only thing to break through the awkward silence that had filled the room.

There was no second guessing who her statement had been aimed at. They all knew it.

"Well, Ma, sometimes it's nice to get a better view of the world too so you can help improve your community with new ideas and experiences."

"I suppose that's true," his mother relented. "If one intended to come back with those ideas and experiences to implement them."

"And sometimes, you don't need to live here to implement them," he replied, coming to stand behind Kagome. He placed his hands on her shoulders, and the crunching of popcorn immediately stopped from his peanut gallery.

It was a silent declaration to his mother, and they all knew it.

Back off.

Kagome reached up to place one of her hands over his, and he shifted his grip to take her hand, winding his fingers between his as he stared at his mother to say something about it.

"Speaking of implementing changes," Kagome began awkwardly, I came by with some paint samples? I thought we could look at them so we know what to do?"

"We," his mother, began, sipping from her lemonade. "There's a lot of 'we' talk going on. Would you care to share why?"

"Because she's helping me with my house, Ma. And I asked her to."

"I thought she was only helping you with some lights."

"I asked her to help with all of it."

"Oh shit," his brother muttered from the sidelines, voicing his genuine surprise.

"I see."

"You said you had some samples?" Inuyasha pressed, and Kagome nodded, opening her purse to pull out a bunch of color cards.

"I picked these up from Anderson's earlier," she explained, handing him the colors.

"Hey, these are actually pretty nice! I love 'em Kags," he beamed, sitting on the arm of her chair, ignoring the look of bewilderment from his mother.

"I tried to go off what we had discussed when we were looking at pictures online…"

"Yeah, no...You did great. Thanks," he grinned down at her, and she tilted her head up to look him in the eye.

"Since...since I dropped them off with you, maybe I should take off? Let you go over there and look for yourself?"

"There's no need," he replied, handing them back to her as he caught his mother's eye. "Why don't you come with me and pick for me."

"I…" Kagome began nervously, glancing from Inuyasha to his mother, back to Inuyasha. "I don't know…"

"Why not? You're my best friend, aren't ya? I value your opinion. Besides," he soothed, rubbing her knuckles. "You have really nice taste. And it will be good for your articles."

"Well, if you have the time…"

"Sure I do," he nodded, standing up and all but pulling her from the chair. "'Sides. It sounds like fun. Picking out colors with my best girl...It will be great."

His mother's hand was clenching the glass so hard, he was worried she was about to break it. And so was his father, if him plucking it from her hand was any indication.

"Go have fun, you two," his father encouraged, taking his wife's hand while shooting his son a look that said clear as day, 'what the _hell_ are you thinking, boy?'. "Can we expect you for dinner?"

"I'll call," Inuyasha replied before leading Kagome out of the house, the weather door clamering shut behind them as they made their way over to her car.

"Inuyasha…"

"Nope."

"Inuyasha…"

"Nuh uh."

"Yeah huh," she stopped, grabbing his shoulder. "Your mom is furious - did you really want to push her buttons like that?"

"Did you really want her to talk to you like that?" he pressed, and she looked away. "Yeah. Didn't think so. Ma is...she's holding onta the past, and we're trying to move on. She needs to accept it, and I ain't about to let her talk to ya like that no more. It ain't right. It ain't fair. We're better than we've been in years, and...And I wanna keep it that way. So if she don't like it...well...tough."

He watched Kagome bite the inside of her lip for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck. He buried his face in her, deeply inhaling her intoxicating scent. It soothed him. Cooled his blood. Helped ease the angry beast inside of him...made him stop snarling at his mother who would dare come for his sweet Kagome…

His eyes widened at that thought, and he slowly pulled away from her, moving to the passenger's side of the car.

"Alright then," he coughed, opening the door as se followed suit. "Let's look at some paint."

* * *

A/N:

Y'all are AWESOME!!! You beat the clock again!!! I'm not going to play that game again...(you can still read 19 and 20 early though - deets on my tumblr!!) BUT. I LOVE all of your reviews. Even though I don't have the time to sit down and respond to them, I read each and every single one of them. They are reminders that you love this story. You love what I do. You want more. It encourages me to keep going and posting...So to everyone who reviews...all I can do is say THANK YOU!! They all brighten my day and mean the world to me!!!

Also, did you play the Halloween Smut game? Did you have fun? Do you think I should do it again?

I'll upload it eventually again, but I hope you had fun!! And if you played...I hope you caught all of the easter eggs!!

Until next time!!

-LL


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 19

Kagome wandered up and down the crowded main street, stopping to take pictures of booths, and talk to the people behind them about their chili or bbq. She had missed this annual cook-off more than she had realized until they had arrived. The air was thick with the smell of cooking meats and bbq sauces and smokers. Everything was a little foggy from the plumes of smoke rising off of the grills.

Her mother had split off long ago to speak with a group of neighbors, while Souta had peeled off when he saw a group of friends. They all held metal water bottles, and she had a sneaking suspicion that she knew what was in them.

Not that she could judge, of course.

She had been young once as well.

She continued to meander down Mainstreet, taking her time to stop and talk to as many people as she could.

What was annoying, however, was that they didn't start off talking about the food they were cooking.

Oh no.

They wanted to _talk_ to her.

"Well how ya doing Kagome?"

"You in town long, Kagome?"

"When are ya leaving, Kagome?"

"What's new with you! I haven't seen ya in years!"

"Working for a magazine now? Ya don't say! What's that like?"

She didn't really _want_ to play catch up. Not really. Not when she kept saying the same things over and over and over again...and...of course...At some point, everyone would start asking her about Inuyasha. Sometimes sympathetically...sometimes smugly...Like they wanted her to know that he was doing just fine without her.

"You seen him since ya came back?"

"Heard he was dating Kikyo now...She's a sweet girl. I'm happy for him, but we always thought you two would tie the knot. Guess some things just aren't meant ta be, are they?"

Hell.

She was pretty sure she had slipped into hell the second she entered the cook-off.

What she needed more than anything right now was a beer. An ice-cold beer, and some shade, and someplace she could gather her thoughts and maybe _not_ think about Inuyasha with his new girlfriend Kikyo. Not that she was his girlfriend.

That thought left her with a little pep in her step as she located one of the beer tents set up by the liquor store. She quickly purchased one and slipped through the crown to find a relatively quiet spot under a tree. She slunk down under its limbs, allowing the shade to cover her as she cracked the top open.

She slowly sipped it, enjoying the moment of peace and an end to the prying questions.

Ugh.

Why was it their business if she had seen Inuyasha since she came back? Why did it matter?

Yes. She had seen him. Had done more than just _see_ him at this point. She'd held him. Comforted him. Kissed him. But it wasn't any of their damn business!

And, frankly...half the town was there for graduation! They would have seen her with Inuyasha. At the very least, they should have heard about the ball he put in the wall at putt putt when they were talking about their damn scores and everything.

What people _really_ meant was: are you staying around this time, and do you plan on trying to get back with him? Because you shouldn't. Because he's happy.

And...No. She wasn't staying around longer than she had to. She was here to help her mom, and now, to cover his house for the magazine. There was a ticking clock over her head, counting down the seconds until she got back onto that plane and was in LA again.

Good old smog-filled LA.

With its 24/7 take out, art, culture, and interesting people…

...And no wide-open fields. No beautiful serene lakes. No star-studded skies. No…

No Inuyasha.

She hadn't felt this good - this at _peace_ with herself in years. She was worried that when she left to go back to LA, she was going to leave a part of her behind...and she was terrified to find out.

She leaned her head back, taking another sip from her beer. It was cool and refreshing and just what she needed right now. A small reprieve from the small-town gossip.

That _was_ one thing she wasn't going to miss when she went back to LA. The small-town gossip.

"There you are...I thought I smelled ya!"

Kagome tilted her head to the side and spotted Inuyasha standing there - grandfather's cowboy hat on his head. He was wearing a black tank top and boots and jeans, and she had to stop herself from making any untoward comments about his appearance. He looked like he should be in an advert for trucks.

Ford.

Built tough.

She wanted to find out just how tough he was...and the thought made her cheeks flush.

"You ok? What are you doing sitting here by yourself?" he asked, dropping to the grass and leaning against the tree beside her. "I thought you'd be here with...well...at least _someone_ if not your mom."

"Mama is off talking to the Hendersons," Kagome shrugged. "Souta...well…I can't prove it, but I'm pretty sure he ran off to drink with some friends. I wouldn't be surprised if we have to drag his drunk ass home before we leave."

Inuyasha snorted at that.

"Sounds familiar. We used to do that kinda stuff when we were his age."

"That stuff and more," she muttered, and he turned to give her a look. "Nothing," she replied, waving him off dismissively.

"Ok," he replied slowly. "Speaking...Ah...well...speaking of drinking...Should...ya be…"

She looked at him in confusion before following his gaze down to her beer can.

" _Should_? I have no idea. Do I want to? Sure. I...I wasn't an alcoholic, Inuyasha. I was _bad_. But...I can still...On occasion…"

"Ah," he nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest.

"Why are you worried about it now? We drank when I was...with you a few weeks back," she mumbled slightly annoyed, looking down at her can.

"I dunno," he shrugged. "I guess...I just wanted ta make sure, since...why...Why are we having this conversation?" he asked awkwardly, scratching his neck. "You say ya can, and I'll trust ya. I ain't your keeper. I just...was concerned is all."

She smiled, pushing any and all of her slightly raised hackles off to the side.

Of course he was. She couldn't blame him. Things weren't quite what they had been a few weeks ago between them...and she hadn't _told_ him until late in the night everything that had happened. She hadn't really had any alcohol around him since. It was a natural worry and concern.

And the fact that he _was_ worried…

She reached out and took his hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"It's pretty good. You wanna try? Local brand, apparently."

"Local? Might have had it."

"Close your eyes and try and guess who makes it," she challenged, covering the bottle from his prying eyes.

"What do I get if I'm right," he pressed, raising his eyebrow.

"Oh ho! Trying to add stakes to this, are we?"

"Hell yeah I am - it's what we do, Kags," he smirked - one of his fangs peeking out the corner of his lip.

"Fine! Fine...You want stakes, let's add some stakes. How about...if you get it right...I'll buy you dinner."

His smirk weakened, and he guiltily shifted his gaze away from her.

"I...Can't. I promised Kikyo that I'd get dinner with her."

"Oh! Of course...I guess I wasn't thinking, was I?"

"I…Think...it's just easy to forget about sometimes," he replied, a small almost wistful smile tugging the corner of his lips up.

"Yeah," she agreed, glancing away from him and back down to the beer can clasped between her hands. "Ok...So. No dinner. How about if you're right, I make us lunch when I come to help you paint your house?"

"I like the sound of that Higurashi," he grinned. "And if I'm wrong?"

_Kiss me._

"Let's see...If you're wrong...then you make lunch for me?"

"PB and J ok with ya?" he snorted, and she wrinkled her nose.

"How about you make lunch for me and I send you a recipe?"

"Oh hell…"

"It will be easy! You're helping your dad with his chili aren't you?"

"...How about I just bring leftovers of that?"

"If there will even _be_ leftovers," she snorted, rolling her eyes. His dad was known for his chili, and if he didn't win, he always placed within the top three every year.

Always.

"But Ka-go- _meee..._ You're gonna make me fend for myself in a kitchen again? With my _Mother_?"

"You're a big boy - I believe in you."

"Fine," he grumbled, and she kneeled, swinging a leg over his lap, which made him sit up straighter. "K-kagome?"

"Oh relax," she sighed as she rolled her eyes, tilting his hat down over his eyes. "I'm not going to dry hump you. I just want to make sure that it's fair. And no peeking. Now open your mouth."

"Y-yes Ma'am," he replied nervously, and she lined the hole in the lid up with his lips, tilting the can up ever so slightly until she saw his throat start to move as he swallowed the liquid pouring into his mouth. She tilted the can back down after a moment, watching as he pulled his slightly wet bottom lip into his mouth for a moment, licking the beer off of it.

She wanted to taste it.

Lick the beer from him herself.

"Well," she asked softly, and his lips widened into a cocky, self-assured smirk.

"It's Drunk Monk, ain't it?"

She reached up and tilted his hat back, looking suspiciously into his eyes.

"How did you know that?"

"Psssh...It's Miroku's brand. Ya think I wouldn't recognize one of ma best friend's beers? I drink it nearly every weekend. I provide him a little muscle here and there too with loading up trucks in exchange for some of it. It's pretty good though, ain't it?"

"It's great," she agreed, her eyes flitting across his face, and he gently placed a hand on her hip in silent encouragement to stand.

"I should get back to Pops. Help him with his chili."

"Sesshomaru isn't around to help?"

"Nah. He ran off almost as soon as he got here. Something 'bout meeting up with someone? Didn't quite catch who."

"Your mom?"

"Getting set up for the pie contest - you're welcome to tag along though, if ya wanna break from...whatever it is you were breaking from?"

"Working on an article for work."

"On our little cook-off?"

"I'd rather do this than talk about ways to prune your hydrangeas."

"Fair 'nough," he shrugged as she stood, getting off of him and allowing him to stand. He dusted off the back of his pants before lifting his hat and smoothing his hair. "So? Ya coming, or are ya gonna hideaway?"

"You said your mom isn't there?" she pressed nervously, and he gave her a sympathetic look.

"I'll give you a heads up when she's returning."

"Ok. Sure. I haven't interviewed you guys yet anyway. And your dad is going to place. Might as well get some pictures of you guys in action."

"That's the spirit," he smirked, grabbing her wrist and leading her through the people milling around the street. He was a little aggressive at times, his gait a little longer than hers, and she found herself nearly running to keep up with him.

She didn't mind though. The view was better than she remembered it, and she couldn't help but allow her gaze to land on his ass a few times.

"Hey Pops!" Inuyasha called as his father came into view. He had a large bandana folded into a strip across his brow to keep the sweat out of his eyes as he intently minced a cube of garlic. "Look who I found?"

"I can smell her from here - no need to look," he replied, keeping his attention on the cutting board. "Hello Kagome."

"Hi," she waved weakly as Touga wiped his knife on the side of the pot. He grunted his acknowledgment of her greeting, moving onto cutting the onions with measured, calculated slices of his knife.

"Kags wanted to interview ya for her magazine while you worked."

"Maybe later," he muttered, scraping the onion and garlic off of his cutting board and into his pot for chili.

"O-oh. Ok," she nodded as Inuyasha slipped a 'Kiss the Chef' apron over his head and got behind the pot, stirring it as instructed.

" _Slowly!_ They need to get to know each other before you just force 'em together!"

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, and Kagome took her camera out of her purse, snapping a few pictures of him.

"Hey!"

"It's for the magazine," she pouted, and he rolled his eyes before letting her take more.

"The shit I put up with for ya," he teased - his face splitting into a smirk. A hint of fang poked out from the side of his mouth again and she found herself remembering what it felt like against her tongue.

"Oh hush - help your father," she replied, determined to not dwell on that thought.

"I am! You see me stirring this pot, don't ya?"

"Too aggressively - _slower_ ," his father chastised and Inuyasha sighed.

"This right here? This is why _I'm_ stuck with him and why Ma and Sessh bailed as soon as he got set up."

"Like you're much better," his father grumbled.

"Hey! I came back didn't I?"

"Willingly, or because she dragged you back?" Touga smirked, and Inuysha groaned.

She'd missed this. Their antics. This cook-off. This feeling of...Home.

* * *

Kagome sat with her legs crossed on a bench, scrolling through the photos on her camera. She'd _thought_ she had taken more than this but…

Apparently, 90% of the photos she had taken that day were of Inuyasha. Sure, there were other people mixed in there too. But her options in comparison were rather...lacking. It was like for everyone photo she had of someone else, she had at least ten of Inuyasha. And while his dad had won the chili cook-off…

This was a bit.

Embarrassing.

And highly unprofessional.

And yet she still hit the arrow taking her to the next photo.

She nearly choked on her cornbread.

She had forgotten about this one. Inuyasha was looking at her cross-eyed with his tongue sticking out. He was trying to be difficult with her - purposefully botching her photos, just because. He _loathed_ having his picture taken still, after all these years. The thought made her smile soften and she pushed it out of her mind as she hit the arrow again.

The next one he was just rolling his eyes at her because she was so damn determined to take his photo, and the look of annoyed exasperation on his face made her smile. His lips were all screwed up, his nose wrinkled. And yet a few seconds after that, he broke out into the most radiant grin…

And she had missed it.

She sighed in annoyance, clicking forward to the next image, and she bit the inside of her lip.

He was stirring the pot of chili with an intense, fierce look on his face. It had his complete attention, which is why he hadn't noticed her snapping the photo. His lips were set into a stern line, his eyes trained on the pot's contents. He had long since abandoned his grandfather's hat and had put his hair up into a bun to keep it off of the nape of his neck. What really caught her eye, however, despite her attempts to ignore it, was the flex of his arm.

He wasn't doing it on purpose - she knew that.

But the flex of his arm from just stirring the chili...It made all of his muscles pop under his taut, tan skin, and she found herself wanting to run her fingers over it. She wanted to feel them wrapped around her body. Wanted to feel them pulling her into his chest. Wanted to fall asleep with them keeping her pressed against his body.

She glanced up from her camera, to across the picnic area to the spot where she had located Inuyasha and Kikyo eating dinner. They were sitting at a bench, completely lost in conversation with each other, surrounded by people who they had gone to high school with. Miroku, Sango, Kouga...They were all laughing and joking around. Inuyasha was sitting on the bench seat backward, his body facing away from the group he was with, yet his face was turned towards them all. He had propped his elbows up on the table's surface, and his head was cocked to the side as he listened to them.

Miroku must have said something, because they all burst out laughing while he turned beat red, Sango rolling her eyes at him.

She wished she were over there. Wished she could be a part of that small little group again, and for a split second, she thought she locked eyes with Sango. Thought she saw the woman smile understandingly at her. Saw a little regret and wistfulness in her eyes too...but she decided it was all in her head.

Kagome shook her head and briefly turned her attention back to her camera, but she was like a moth drawn to a flame. Her attention was back on the group, or at least on Inuyasha, in seconds. The current song the live band, the _Twister Misters,_ faded out as they began playing a new song.

 _Wicked Games_.

As the opening notes played, Kikyo cupped Inuyasha's face and leaned in to kiss him before leading him by the hand into the middle of the grassy dancefloor. Kagome watched the woman wrap her arms around his neck, holding his body flush to hers. The country band had slowed the pace of the song significantly, and she glanced over to them briefly. The _Twister Misters_ were just a small handful of men all dressed as cowboys with brightly colored shirts and white vests with musical notes on them. They vaguely reminded her of a rainbow, honestly...but even as distracting as they were, it wasn't enough to hold her attention.

Kagome watched in morbid fascination as Kikyo began to sway with Inuyasha to the music.

It was almost like witnessing a car crash, and she could feel more than a few people looking from the couple in the grass to her, almost as if they were all watching her. Waiting to see what she was going to do.

And you know what she was going to do?

Not a damn thing.

They were dating. He had every right to dance with her. Kikyo was allowed to dance with him...and Kagome was going to just do her damn best to ignore the knot forming in her throat. She wasn't allowed to be sad or upset...remember what it felt like to be in his arms. Remember the way he looked at her with his burning amber eyes as he swayed with _her_ when they were dating.

That was all over now.

And if he was happy with Kikyo...

Then good. He deserved to be.

She watched as they slowly turned in a circle, and she began to realize that it wasn't just because they were dancing. It was because Inuyasha was intentionally leading them to turn that way. Because his eyes were rapidly scanning the area, looking for something. Or someone…

" _No, I don't wanna fall in love…"_

His eyes caught hers and he stopped his circular movement with Kikyo. Standing nearly as still as he could, while still passing for dancing with the other woman.

_"No, I don't wanna fall in love…"_

She felt her breath catch in her throat as he held her gaze…

_"With you."_

His gaze was hot.

" _With you…"_

Burning her.

" _What a wicked game you play, to make me feel this way…"_

She was melting under the intensity. He was trying to tell her a thousand things all at once from thirty feet away.

" _What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you…"_

And she wanted to say she was imagining it.

" _What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way…"_

But she swore she saw the longing in his eyes. Regret. Desire. Fear.

" _What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you…"_

That should have been her in his arms, not Kikyo. If she hadn't...If their past had been different, it _would_ be her. She would be with him. She would be looking into those same eyes as his arms wrapped around her body. He would be whispering I love yous into her ear. Would be telling her how happy he was to have her in his life...and she would be whispering back to him how he was her whole world.

" _And I don't wanna fall in love…"_

She still wanted that, didn't she? It had been seven fucking years...but all it had taken was just a few weeks back home...a few weeks in his life again for her to realize...

" _No, I don't wanna fall in love…"_

She wasn't over him.

And she never would be.

Because she still loved him.

She gathered her purse from beside her and went to search for her mother - she needed to get away from here. Wanted to ask her if they could go home and text Souta to find his own way back to the house, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Hey there...Your name is Kagome, right?"

She turned around to look at the man who was pulling her attention away from the love of her life, dancing with another woman. He looked familiar...but she knew he was a relatively new face.

"Yeah," she replied hesitantly, and he stuck out his hand, offering to shake hers.

"Hojo," he grinned brilliantly. "I own the putt putt. I'm...pretty sure you stopped in with your family after graduation and your... _friend_ over there put a ball in my wall."

 _That's_ what she knew him from!

"Oh my God! Yes," she smiled...or hoped she smiled. "That was us...I'm so sorry about that."

"Ah it's nothing," he replied, scrunching up his face and waving his hand dismissively. "I run an indoor putt putt facility in a town full of demons - I'm sure he won't be the last."

"But he was the first?"

"If I said yes...would you dance with me?"

"I…" she was completely caught off guard. And not sure what she wanted to say. She was single, wasn't she? She was allowed to dance with another man...Even if she had just…

If Inuyasha could be happy, then she needed to find a way to be happy too.

"I'd like that, Hojo," she grinned - tried to grin - and he took her hand, leading her out into the grassy dance floor with everyone else.

The song was coming to a close and rolling into something a bit cheerier. _Sweet Caroline_.

"Oh I love this one," she informed him as the band began singing it.

"Yeah? Well good, because I think I'd be a bit upset if you were against Neal Diamond."

"Against him? What's there to be against? The man is a legend," she reasoned, and she was somewhat glad for the distraction Hojo was providing her. He was keeping her mind off the fact that she was still...after all these years...desperately, _hopelessly_ , in love with Inuyasha.

" _Hands...Touching hands…"_ he sang with the band, and she tried to ignore Inuyasha's eyes on her. She knew he was watching them. She didn't know how, but she knew that they were boring a hole in the back of her head.

" _Reaching out…"_ She joined. _"Touching me...Touching yoooou!"_

" _Sweeeet Caroline! BA BA BA! Good times never felt so good - SO GOOD! SO GOOD!"_

Inuyasha was furious. She swore he was growling at them at a subsonic level. And as much as she loved this song, it was hard to sing along with the cute, brunet man trying his best to keep her attention.

"I have to say, it's not a great song to get to know someone during," Hojo grinned at her.

"No...it's not...but I have to be honest with you. I'm not going to be in town for much longer, anyway."

"Oh? I was wondering why I hadn't seen you before."

"You must have moved here after I left. I live in LA now."

Hojo whistled at that.

"LA. Damn. Just visiting family, then?"

"Only for another month and a half, I think."

"You think?"

"That's how long work told me I could stay— _SO GOOD, SO GOOD, SO GOOD!_ "

"—Well...I'd still love to get to know you while you're in town?"

"— _I'VE BEEN INCLINED!_ Oh! Ah...Hojo...You seem sweet—"

"—Oh."

"—No! Really! I just...broke up with someone a few weeks ago, and I—"

"—Oh!" He gave her an understanding smile and she felt herself relax. "Say no more. I'd love to get to know you, even just as friends."

"...That...Would be nice," she grinned, and she meant it. It would be nice knowing someone here who was new to the area. Didn't know her history with Inuyasha. Didn't know all the stupid stuff she had done in her youth…

"I couldn't agree more with you!"

She was glad she had said yes to Hojo. After that conversation, he had done a wonderful job of distracting her from the man she _wanted_ to be dancing with, and the woman he _was_ dancing with. Hojo was goofy. A little silly. Had a heart of gold.

As the evening drew to a close, she was actually rather glad she hadn't just...left. Spending some time with Hojo was better than going back to her room curling back up into a ball, and crying her eyes out.

When her mother came over, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, Kagome bid Hojo farewell and followed her out to the car. Souta was, somewhat unpredictably, going to be getting a ride home with friends. She was about to get into her mother's car when she heard a voice calling out to her.

"Hey! Kagome! Hold up a sec, would ya?"

Inuyasha…

He came trotting over to her, glancing from her to her mother, back to her again. He opened his mouth once as if he wanted to say something, and she raised her eyebrow expectantly when no words came out.

He did it a second time, and still nothing.

"Yes, Inuyasha?"

"Paint," he finally blurted.

"What about it?"

"Two days?"

"What?"

"I," he coughed, starting over again. "Can you come over in two days? To help me with the paint? Just the two of us."

"Yeah...sure. I think I can swing that."

"Ok then," he nodded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

"Ok then."

A/N: Sorry this is so late…I kinda have been having mental breakdowns and didn't notice this didn't go up. I've removed myself from IY discord communities and haven't been tagging people in posts on tumblr / have asked nearly everyone to stop tagging me as well, if that gives you any idea…So…All I can say is oops and sorry.

I'll try and get the next chapter up next week! Get everything back on track.

This is the only story I'm focusing on at the moment. Everything else is on hiatus.

That said, the infamous breakup chapter has been posted somewhere else. Check out my tumblr for more details!


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 20

Inuyasha finished laying down the tarps to cover his hardwood floors when he heard a car pull up outside his house. There was only one person that could be, and he had to say...he was a little excited to be doing this with her. It would be nice to have a second set of hands for this project, and it was easy enough that he wouldn't have to supervise her. Just move your brush in a 'W'...but he suspected she knew that, given the magazine.

He heard the car door close as he went to the front door, opening it for her as she picked up a large bag.

"Well hey there stranger," he grinned as she made her way to the front door. "Whatcha got there?"

"What...this?" she teased, looking down at the bag and holding it a bit closer to her.

"Yeah," he pried, trying to snatch it from her, and she pulled it out of the way, dangling it just outside of his reach.

"Behave yourself! You don't get that until the first coat of paint is done at the minimum!"

He pouted prettily but led her inside his house nonetheless.

"Lights should be here next week at the latest," he commented, running his fingers through his bangs as he led her into the kitchen where she put the bag and her purse down. "Tile around the same time. I'm excited to get that backsplash up."

"I'm excited to see it up," she agreed, and he snorted.

"You picked it."

"I helped you narrow down your options!"

"You picked it."

"You were waffling between three!"

"Ya still picked it."

Kagome rolled her head back and groaned.

"Ok. Fine. Yes. I picked it. But _you_ agreed to it. And is it really so bad if I picked it? Does that mean I can't be excited to see it up?"

"Nah. Just makes sense is all," he teased, leading her into the office. Or the kids' room. Or playroom. He still wasn't sure. All he knew was that Kagome had picked out a nice, light "seagull grey" because it was neutral, and apparently, most of the rest of the house was going to be light beige.

Boring.

But neutral.

He didn't exactly want bright red walls either so...Beige worked just fine for him.

"I already put the tarps down. Just need ta open the cans and get crackin'," he informed her, pulling his phone out of his pocket and hooking it up to his speakers.

"Ooooh….Mood music? You shouldn't have," she teased, putting her hair up onto her head.

"...Can ya really have a mood for painting a room?"

"...Determination? Why don't you start with 'Eye of the Tiger', and see where that takes us?"

He snorted but didn't disagree, searching for it as he asked her to open one of the cans and pour some into the paint tray. Music was blaring in the room in a matter of seconds, and when he stood, she offered him a roller.

"I believe you are owed the honor of first paint roll in this here house."

"A-are ya making fun of how I talk, Higurashi?"

"...No?"

"Liar," he smirked, pulling his own hair off his neck and into a ponytail.

"Maybe?"

He laughed at that and took the roller she offered him, dipping it into the paint - rolling it at the edge of the tray a few times before looking up at the drywall.

"Ya know Kags...I don't know when I thought I'd be putting paint on the walls...but...I'm glad you're here helping me. Feels right, ya know?" he asked, turning to look at her, and she had a strange look on her face.

He wondered what was going on in that head of hers. Was she...thinking that this could have been _their_ house? That they could have been doing all of this as a couple instead of as "best friends"? Because he sure as hell was thinking the same goddamn thing.

"I'm glad I can be here to support you," she swallowed, and he shot her a shy, thankful smile.

"Alright...eye of the tiger, right? Let's do th—"

"—Wait!" She yelled, taking out her phone. "This is a big moment. We need to mark the occasion."

"With _more_ pictures?" he groaned, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yes. More pictures. And videos. Trust me. You're going to be thanking me that you did this one day."

"I doubt that," he grumbled, and she raised her brow at him.

"Humor me then. Ok," she continued, walking to the side so she could see his face as he raised the roller to the wall. "Now!"

"What...no three, two, one?"

"Yash! We're rolling! Get to painting!"

"Ok, ok," he laughed, smacking the roller onto the wall before lifting. "I give you the first line of paint in 'this here house'!"

"Whooo!" she cheered. "Now go fix it - it looks horrible."

"Hey! I'd like to see you do better!"

"You mean...Actually _, paint_ instead of just smacking the roller down?"

"Yeah - that's what you came here to do, ain't it?"

"Ooooh no. I came here to document. And document I shall!"

"...Ok, but if you don't _actually_ help me paint…"

"Don't get your boxers all twisted up your ass - I'm gonna help you paint. Just after I get a few photos of you painting."

"Oh good. And here I thought ya were just gonna be standing around here looking pretty all day."

"...So you think I look pretty, huh?"

His butt clenched so hard he was worried he was never going to be able to shit properly again. And he was sure that his face read sheer panic too if her laugh was anything to go off of.

"Oh relax Yash," she teased, sliding her phone back into her pocket. "I know you're just joking around. I'm not reading anything into it," she promised, rolling her roller into the paint as she began to help him.

"Ok then...well...good," Inuyasha coughed, starting to roll his roller in the same W pattern beside Kagome. She did look pretty, even though he knew she was wearing old clothes. They were stained and her rather _short_ shorts were frayed around the edges. Her shirt must have gotten bleach on it at some point, judging the discoloration on it. He thought they might have been stuck in the back of her closet since high school, but he decided not to ask.

He himself had chosen to wear a thin, long sleeve, heather blue t-shirt that had seen hell. Wood stain, paint...it had a few holes in it too from catching on pointy corners.

It didn't make sense to look like a model when you were painting a room, and yet…

All he could do as he worked his roller, laughing and talking with Kagome...singing along to the music with her...All he could do was think how perfect she looked. How beautiful she was. How completely and utterly happy he was at that moment.

It was like she was a balm to his bruised soul, and the more time he spent with her, the better his very essence felt.

They were just finishing up the first coat of paint on the last wall when _Sweet Caroline_ began playing on his phone.

"Hey ah...You and Hojo," he began awkwardly, his movements with the roller becoming less fluid as the song took him back to two days prior. "That...that gonna be a thing? How is that gonna work, with you in LA?"

"Oh! It's not. We...we're not…"

"You're...not?"

"Nah," she reaffirmed, shaking her head. "He's sweet and funny and all...but...well...Like you said. LA. Maybe if I weren't going back, being with someone here would be an option..." she swallowed, and he looked back at the wall in front of him.

"Yeah...LA," he agreed, telling his chest that it needed to stop feeling like she had just shot his pet dog in front of him. "So when are you heading back?"

"Mmmm...well...I'm still looking to leave in a month and a half, but I should really ask my boss if I can have an extension on that."

"Really? Ya think they will give it to you?"

Did that sound too hopeful? Too excited? God he hoped he wasn't coming off as too eager...

"I'm covering you and your house. The first article had some _really_ decent hits on it. I think I can make the argument that I've stayed on top of my work remotely while finding a new story to cover. Makes sense to stay _with_ the story...and the story is right here," she reasoned. "I don't know if she will go for it though. I'm going to try for it after I post the article on painting your house though. Might give me more ammunition for arguing to stay. Numbers talk."

He nodded his head, rolling her words around in his head.

So...there was a chance her stay here could be extended.

Maybe...Maybe he should slow down work on the house. Just a little.

He didn't need to move out _right_ this second - as soon as possible - did he?

He still had _some_ privacy at his parents' house. Not a lot. But some.

Yeah, it would be _nice_ if certain people's noses didn't know every damn thing he had done that day - or who he had seen...But...He could live with it for a while longer, right? It wasn't anything he wasn't already used to.

And...there was no time like the present to slow things down…

He smirked a little to himself as he loaded up his paint roller with more paint, not bothering to roll off the excess. Carefully...subtly...he moved a bit closer to Kagome than he had been before and smacked the roller hard against the wall, splattering paint all over her.

She paused.

Looked down at her arms and shirt.

And took her roller, rolling it up his arm.

"Hey!"

"You started it!"

"No I didn't!"

Yes, he did.

"Yes, you did!"

"Well…" he took his roller and rolled it across her arm, causing her to suck in her breath. "There then."

"You!"

"Me?"

"Inuyasha!"

"Uh-huh?" he prodded, a fang sticking out of the corner of his lip as she smacked his chest with the roller. Her blue eyes were absolutely _sparkling_ with amusement, and he fucking loved it.

"Hey now! Don't go wasting my paint!"

"Oh so when I do it, it's wasting your paint. When _you_ do it...it's…It's…"

"At a loss for words there, Kagome?"

"No!" She denied, gasping and going stock still as he reached out to paint her again, this time getting her across her breast. Unintentionally. Mostly.

"Oh that does it!" she snapped. Her eyes were wild...and he took that as his cue to put some distance between them as he started backing away from her.

"Kagome…"

"Inuyasha…" she replied, looking positively mischievous.

"Kagome, hold up now…"

"Hold up?" she replied, holding her roller up. "You mean like this?" She lunged forward, painting his shoulder as he did his best to back away from her, but he tripped over some loose tarping, falling to the floor.

He didn't stand a chance.

She was straddling his waist within seconds. Her fingers danced across his cheeks as he wiggled under her, trying to dislodge her. Sure, he knew he _could_ if he had really had enough...but this had been his goal. Distract her so it took longer - and also…

It was fun as hell, and he loved seeing that playful glint in her eye as she laughed, trying to turn him into a Picasso.

"Let me just paint a moon on your forehead...then you'll look like Sesshomaru!"

"Hey now!" he complained squirming a bit harder than before. "Don't make me look like that ass!"

"But I already gave you the stripes," she teased, and he grabbed her hands, pulling them over his head before she could add to her artwork. "One on each cheek! You kind of look like your dad now…" she mused, a giggle spilling from her lips.

"What...not demon enough for ya?" he teased, but her heart was racing. He could hear it. And suddenly...they weren't horsing around anymore.

"You're more than demon enough," she swallowed, almost as if her mouth had suddenly become dry, and his grip on her hands slackened. One escaped his grip and she gently placed it on the side of his face - her thumb coming to tenderly run across his cheekbone. His eyes fluttered shut as he leaned into her touch, enjoying the feel of her soft skin on his face.

"You've always been enough."

His eyes snapped open, his ears ringing with what he had heard. Or thought he had heard, at least. It was so quiet...her words so soft…

Maybe he was just imagining it.

He found himself swallowing this time, before he flipped them over, wanting to break whatever had come over them. It was scary and he couldn't explore it. Not when she had just said…

LA.

She was still going back and was still going to leave him, even if she did get the extension he so desperately wanted her to get.

"Yash!" She laughed, wiggling under him.

"Kags," he smirked, grabbing her free wrist and transferring it to his other hand, to keep one free. He placed it on her side, where her shirt had hiked up ever so slightly. The heat of her skin against his palm...he took a second to enjoy it before he slid his hand up her shirt.

"I-Inuyasha?" she breathed, going stock still as his hand kept moving north and to the side of her ribs.

Her skin was so soft. So smooth. So warm. He wanted to move his hand up even higher on her body. Wanted to slip his fingers under more of her clothes, just as he used to. God he wanted to lean down and kiss her - take her lips with his, and never let them go again…

He wasn't going to do that though.

"W-what are you...Inuyasha!" she squealed, her body tensing before she began squirming. His fingers gently scraped against her side, tickling her just the way he knew drove her crazy and made her desperate to get away from him. His claws carefully ran up her side again and her heels dug into the tarp below her as she tried to throw him off of her.

"Inuyasha!" she shrieked, the empty walls around them echoing with her laughter.

"Yeah?"

"Stop!" she begged, and he did it again, renewing her giggles.

"Nah - having too much fun, I think," he smirked, doing it yet again.

"Please?" she begged, biting her lower lip as he gave her a second to catch her breath. "I'll do whatever you want…"

"Whatever I want, huh?"

_Kiss me. Come back to me. Be mine forever. Never leave me again._

"Clean up from lunch?"

"Deal," she agreed, and he bent down to kiss her forehead.

"Deal," he murmured, getting off of her.

* * *

Lunch was good. Not that he was surprised. She'd made fried chicken sandwiches with this coleslaw she put on it before giving it to him...and this broccoli slaw and potato salad to go with it...Kept it in an isolated bag with enough ice packs surrounding it, he was almost worried he was going to get frostbite taking them out of the bag. If that weren't enough, she'd also brought over a few plasticware containers stuffed with brownies.

"Work," she waved off dismissively when he asked about them. "Trying to make brownie mixes not taste like they're store-bought."

"So ya brought work with ya...ta...work," he laughed, picking a peanut butter and jelly swirl one, out of the container.

"You could say that," she shrugged, moving to lean back onto her arms. They had spread out a worn blanket he recognized from his days sitting around the Higurashi's fire pit on his floor. It was blue and black and checkered with fringe around the edges, and they were sitting on it to eat, like an indoor picnic.

"It's good," he praised, laying down onto his back.

"Watch the paint!" she yelped, and he rolled his eyes, sitting back up.

"The paint dried a long time ago, Kags…" he could feel it on his skin. He was going to have a hell of a time getting her body paint off of his cheeks later too. He could tell.

"Still…" She insisted, and he sat back up with a sigh.

"Fine then," he replied, placing his brownie onto his plate before reaching down to the hem of his shirt. He absently noticed her eyes widening as he tugged it off, tossing it to the side. Boy...that was an ego boost.

Her cheeks became bright red, and it was worth it for that alone. He internally smirked at his small victory and picked up his brownie again, moaning more than a little sexually when he bit into it, running a hand down his chest in the process. A hand that...if his eyes weren't deceiving him...was being followed with _very_ rapt attention. And if the way she swallowed was any indicator...a very dry throat.

"Oh god Kags...It's so _good_."

"Would you stop," she blushed, prying her eyes away from the way the muscles in his abdomen contracted when he groaned and threw her napkin at him. He tilted his head back, laughing. Fuck she as so flustered and he loved it! Loved teasing the shit out of her! Loved the ego boost...and the reaffirmation that she was still attracted to him.

"What? I'm paying ya a compliment," he smirked, his eyes twinkling in amusement, and she rolled hers.

"Compliment received," she reassured. He polished off his brownie, wiping his hands on his napkin and resting his arms under his head.

"Not sure the paint is dry yet - I bet we've got some time to kill," he commented, and she sighed, leaning her head back onto her shoulders.

"Yeah. I figured. Guess you don't wanna come back tomorrow and finish up?"

He rolled his eyes at her. Couldn't help it.

"Nah. I'd give it another thirty and we can start again."

"Oh yay," she groaned, running her hands down her face, and a crazy idea struck him.

"I'll be right back, ok?"

"Ok…" she replied, watching as he stood and disappeared down the hall. He returned a moment later with the speakers and plugged them into a power outlet before fiddling with his phone.

"Yash?"

"Gimmie a sec," he replied, opening Spotify on his phone and locating "The Piano Man" by Billy Joel. He hit the play and the radio button, causing the song to blare through the room. "I...Ah…Well," he coughed nervously, shoving his hands into his pockets, suddenly worried she would think he had lost his mind. "I wanted ta ask ya ta dance the other day…but...well...I was with Kikyo 'n' you were with Hojo...Didn't...wanna...Aw hell…"

Kagome giggled, her face breaking out into a wide grin, and he felt himself relax a little.

"Dance with me, Kags?"

"Yeah - I'd love to," she grinned, pushing herself to her feet as Billy began singing.

He took her hands and began moving her around the room, singing along, not caring that they probably sounded like dying cats. It was fun and it felt _good_ , and he liked holding her close to him as they moved like they didn't have a care in the world. It was exhilarating, and...Shit, he was almost worried that when John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" came on she would pull away from him, but if anything, she held him closer.

They stayed like that for three more songs, acting like fools and laughing their heads off before The Temptations' "My Girl" started playing.

"Oh my gosh," Kagome laughed, her head rolling back onto her shoulders. "I think this is the first song we ever danced to."

"That was 'cause Pops told me ta ask ya."

"H-he did?" she stuttered, her steps faltering a little, and he felt his ears lower to his head as his eyes widened.

"Y-you didn't...know?"

She shook her head slowing ever so slightly.

"You guys came over for dinner. Sessh had a sleepover or something...so it was just the six of us. We were about...what...eleven? Maybe twelve at the most. They had the stereo playing as they were making dinner, and they kept pausing every now and then ta dance. Pops noticed that you were looking...a little...sad? Left out? When this song started playing, he told me I should go 'n' ask ya ta dance. Thought ya might like it…"

"I...had no idea…" she whispered, looking away from him. "That was...That's when I stopped having just a little crush on you and started having...Stronger feelings for you."

"It was?"

She nodded, shooting him a sad smile.

"Yeah. I had been liking you for a while...but...when you did that, I don't know...it felt like my feet weren't even touching the ground when we danced. I thought maybe you liked me too—"

"—I did!" he rushed to reassure her. "I liked ya a _lot_. That's why he didn't have to twist my arm too much ta get me to ask. I...I just needed a little push. I think he saw that."

"So...What I'm hearing is, I should have sent your dad a fruit basket," she teased, brightening a little.

"Not sure I'd go _that_ far," he grumbled, looking off to the side, and she laughed. It made the nervous ache he felt in his chest ease. "I did like dancing with ya Kags."

"Then why was it always like pulling teeth getting you to take me to dances?" she smirked, and he rolled his eyes.

"'Cause I liked dancing just the two of us more than dealing with everyone making comments on it. Middle school boys are dumb."

"You mean _middle schoolers_ are dumb," she corrected, and he conceded she had a point there.

"Hormones. It's a weird time in everyone's life, I think."

"Mmm...You can say that again," she agreed.

"Do ya think I'm a better dancer now though?" he pressed, and she raised her brow.

"More willing maybe. Not sure about _better_."

"Yeah? Watch this then," he smirked, rearranging her grip on him to place a hand on his bare shoulder while he took her waist and grabbed her other hand. He moved her into a basic box step, and she couldn't deny that he was a bit better.

"Just getting started Sweetheart," he teased, spinning her out from him before tugging her back into his arms.

"Yash!" she giggled, her head tilting back as she squealed when he bent her over. "When did you learn how to do this?" she breathed, her eyes meeting his. She looked so beautiful. Her hair had come undone from her bun and hung in a ponytail around her shoulders. Her eyes were bright and full of laughter. They were positively sparkling.

He wanted to kiss her.

"While ago," he replied, righting her as the next song started playing. Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love". He faltered a little and was unsurprised when she looked away from him.

It was their song.

"Hey," he began, swallowing hard. "Remember how I found my grandfather's guitar when I was...what...thirteen?"

"Decided you wanted to learn how to play it," she nodded, her voice thick. Heavy.

"Yeah. God that was a choice. Had to constantly trim my nails so I wouldn't slice the strings...I sounded like shit at first…"

"Well, you shouldn't have expected to be able to play Stairway to Heaven the second you picked it up."

"Cocky, rookie mistake," he grinned, trying to lighten the mood a little. "Can't say I didn't try."

"Can't say you didn't sound like a cat wanted to sharpen their claws on the strings."

"Hey!" he laughed, relaxing a little when he saw the corners of her mouth turn up just a little. "I tried! Got pretty good at it, too…"

"You did," she conceded as they began to sway in place again. Her hand wrapped around the back of his neck, and he savored the feeling. The sensation of her skin on his skin. Her hand subconsciously pulling her closer as they spoke. Their words becoming softer.

"This was the first song I really sat down to learn."

"You were so proud," she recalled, her face soft. Wistful as memories of the past flooded her mind.

"Rushed over to your house as soon as I felt confident enough I could do it. Biked the whole way with a guitar on my back."

"Our parents thought you were nuts…"

"I just had to show you, right then and there what I could do."

"Took me out under the tree."

"Same one I still love climbing."

"Same one," she smiled, not realizing that they had stopped swaying even. "You started playing it."

"And when I was done, you had this look in your eye…"

"Because I thought you had learned it for me."

"Didn't I?"

"Inuyasha…" she breathed, her eyes swimming with a thousand emotions.

"That look did me in," he confessed to her, bringing a hand up to her cheek. So warm. So soft. He was drowning in her. In the memory of what they were. Of what they should be. He should find his way to shore. Try and save himself before he was a goner again...But...He couldn't. He wanted to stay right where he was.

He wanted to drown in them.

"I was lost to you…" he confessed, his words barely audible. "And then I leaned in and whispered—"

"—I can't help falling for ya, Kags. Right before you kissed me."

"For the first time," he murmured, running his thumb across her cheekbone, his head tilting down towards hers, his eyes locked on her lips. "Kagome—"

"—I-Inu...Inuyasha?"

He felt his blood run cold as he slowly turned around, his heart pounding in his ears.

"K-Kikyo?"

She stood in the entrance to the kitchen, a shell-shocked look on her face...and honestly? He felt the same way.

Fuck!

He had no idea she was coming - hadn't heard her drive up to his house or the car door shut because of the music. Hadn't smelled her because he was so wrapped up in Kagome and the smell of paint…

Now, he was looking at the woman he was dating holding an insulated bag in one hand, and a plastic container holding chocolate covered strawberries in the other, in a state of befuddled shock.

"What…" Kikyo whispered, and he felt Kagome pull away from him, removing herself from his arms. He couldn't even look at her right now. His mind was still whirling, trying to process what the hell was going on.

Kikyo turned around, going back down his hallway, and he glanced at Kagome. She had her arms wrapped around her middle, and her face was blank for a moment before she gathered her strength and whispered one thing to him.

"Go."

He took off down the hall after Kikyo, who hadn't even bothered closing his front door. She was already halfway to her car, and he all but sprinted to catch her wrist, keeping her from leaving.

"Kikyo—"

"—Where is your shirt, Inuyasha?"

That was the first thing she had to say to him?

_Where was his fucking shirt?_

"On the floor. It was covered in paint and I didn't want to get it all over the blanket we were eating on."

"Of course you did. Of course you _were_ ," she laughed bitterly. "You really needed to take your _shirt_ off to _sit_ on a blanket?"

"I was laying on it."

"Naturally."

"Kikyo, please…"

"Please what?" she snapped.

"Give me a second! It ain't what it looks like!"

"No? So I didn't come to your house to surprise you with a romantic lunch...offer to help you paint your house...only to find you shirtless and almost _kissing your ex-fiance?_ "

"I...I wasn't gonna kiss her, Kikyo. We're friends…"

"Bullshit, Inuyasha!"

"Kikyo…"

"No! It is!"

"No it ain't!" he insisted. "Kikyo...We've known each other since we were eight. She's my best friend...We're close, but I weren't gonna kiss her!"

"Yeah - so close that you haven't spoken to her in seven years? I mean really Inuyasha...You expect me to believe this bullshit? She just shows up out of the blue one day and you expect me to believe that you are best of friends?"

"We have a history—"

"— _A history where you were almost married!"_

"Yeah! Exactly! _Almost!_ Look - we're close, but we don't work that way, ok? If we did...then we'd be together, but we don't. You think I'm that crazy that I'd want something like that from her again when I know it ain't gonna work? How much pain do ya think I can handle? Kikyo…I'm with you now...or I wanna be...What you saw in there was us just goofing around. We had time to kill - we're waiting for the paint ta dry, so we were just...having a bit of fun."

She was silent for a moment, biting her cherry-red lip and looking off to the side, crossing her arms under her breasts as she tried to decide what she wanted to believe.

"Why is she even here," she finally whispered, her eyes flitting back to his, and he could see the gloss over them. The pooling of unspilled tears.

"She's covering this for her magazine. I...I'm just a story for her, right now," he explained, but the words felt hollow as they left his mouth. Tasteless on his tongue. "She's just here to get some photos and talk about my process."

"Sure she is," she chuckled bitterly, a tear slipping down her cheek.

"I swear it," he insisted. "You're right. We haven't spoken in seven years...but...we wanted to try and make amends since she was kinda...tossed back into ma life. This...is where those amends led…"

"And soon she's going to end up in your bed with her legs around your waist," she mused, looking away from him.

"I couldn't. I _wouldn't_ …" he insisted, and he felt sick to his stomach as she chewed on her lower lip.

"Is she why...we haven't been... _intimate_ ," she whispered, mustering the courage to look him in the eye as she asked.

"No," he breathed. "I meant it - I wanted us to have more before we went there. Kikyo, you're such an amazing woman...I want to give you the best of everything...including me…"

Kikyo worried her bottom lip between her teeth, scanning his face before carefully asking him, "When is Kagome crawling back to California?"

He tried not to wince, or yell or give her any reaction as he replied, "Month and a half."

Kikyo let out a slow, shuddering breath, placing her hands on his cheeks.

"Tell me the truth, Inuyasha. I need you to look me in the eye and be honest with me."

"O-ok…" he replied nervously.

"Do you want to be with me, or Kagome?"

He swallowed, but his gaze didn't falter.

" _We_ have a future. Kagome isn't in the picture anymore."

Kikyo eyed him carefully, and he wished he knew what was going on inside of his head.

"Then I want us to be exclusive. If you think we have a future together, put a title on us."

He felt like he had been sucker-punched, but he couldn't tell her no.

"I'll put a title on us...If you want _this_ to be the moment that happens," he agreed.

She pulled away from him, her face slack and expressionless as his words rolled around in her mind. He could tell she was really thinking it over. Was _this_ the story she wanted for them? Was this what she wanted to tell people? Her friends? Family? Their kids?

That he agreed to their relationship after fighting about another woman.

"No," she sighed, looking away from him, deflated. "It's not."

He felt like he could breathe again, but he wasn't out of the woods yet.

"Inuyasha...I want this...I want _us_ so much...but I'm worried you don't feel the same way…"

"I do!"

" _Then show me_...Can you give me _something_? Anything to show me you're serious?"

Hell...he didn't know…

"Let's go away. Just the two of us," he blurted out, and her eyebrows rose in surprise.

"W-what?"

"Let's do a weekend getaway. Or a midweek getaway, I don't care. Just the two of us...let's...go somewhere for a few days. Share a hotel room. Do that couples massage thingy...Dinner...Um...Antiquing?"

Fuck. Women liked antiquing, right? God, it sounded like hell, but her eyes were brightening a bit.

"Farmer's market?"

"If they have it," he nodded. They lived with farms. The hell she want to go to a farmers market for?

He watched the idea roll around in her head.

"Ok then," she agreed. "You plan it and tell me when to pack my bag. A-and no help from _her_ this time," she begged, tilting her head towards the house. "Please…"

"I can do that," he nodded, trying to ignore the internal panic he suddenly felt. He didn't know how to plan something like this! What the hell was he going to do?!

"Ok," she nodded, coming in to kiss his cheek before telling him that she was going to leave. Didn't think she could stick around right then.

He didn't exactly blame her.

When her car was out of view, he ran his hands over his face, groaning.

"Fuuuuuuuck…" what the hell was he going to do? He felt like his whole fucking life was unraveling before his eyes and he was scrambling to catch the frayed ends before he was well and truly screwed.

He sighed and made his way back into his house, wandering into his kitchen to find the woman he had abandoned to smooth things over with the woman he was dating. She was sitting on the floor with her head resting on crossed arms, propped up against her knee caps. Her back was pressed to his island, and he could smell the distinct scent of salt in the air.

He slowly approached her, and he knew that she could hear his footfalls against the hardwood as he neared her. He wasn't trying to be quiet, and he saw her body jerk when he was nearly in front of her.

He paused, chewing the inside of his lip before he sat down next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, tugging her to him.

What was that saying again?

Out of the fire, into the frying pan?

Was this what they meant?

"Kagome," he murmured, encouraging her to look at him with her watery blue eyes.

"I...Inuyasha," she croaked, "I don't think I can be your friend…"

His heart felt like led.

"W-what?"

"Anyone you try to date will know our history, Yash. They won't like that you're friends with your ex-fiance...And you're never going to be happy. I just know it...And that's what I want more than anything for you. I think I should stop writing these articles about you. I don't want to fuck up your life more than I already have...We should just...cut ties again now."

He wished she weren't serious...but his nose told him that she was anything but joking around with him.

He inhaled deeply before exhaling, "...You're probably right…"

She pinched her eyes shut and made to move away from him, but he wouldn't let her.

"...But I don't think I give a damn, Kagome."

Fan art by [Katiebug91](https://katiebug91.tumblr.com/post/633550433817853952/all-done-and-so-happy-with-how-all-3-of-them)

* * *

A/N:

This is up there with my favorite chapters for this fic. I particularly LIVED for the part where they relived their first kiss.

I'm doing better - I'm maybe at like, an 85 - 90 right now, which I will take...But I'm still going to be sticking with just this one story for a while until I'm just GRABBED to go back to the others. Which WILL happen. But I needed to kill that posting schedule I was living for and live to write instead again. And no one can deny that I LIVE to write this fic.

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed last time! I am HORRIBLE at DMing people thanks now, but I 100% have read all of them, have loved and appreciated all of them, and so...A massive thank you to the reviewers from last chapter!

I appreciate you all, and I'm going to respond to them AS SOON AS I CAN!

And don't worry. That break up is happening SOON. But if you can't wait, you can read it somewhere else now! Details are on my tumblr!

Until next time!

-LL


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 21

Inuyasha rolled over in bed, throwing an arm over his eyes. It was too fucking early for the sun to be shining. One day. He just wanted one day where he could sleep in. He was drowning in work. Or it felt like it at least. Fuck. His father's ranch...the Higurashi's ranch...his house…

One day.

That's all he wanted. Was that too much to ask?

Apparently, yes.

Yes it was.

He groaned, removing his arm, staring at the ceiling. It was no use. He was up now, and might as well just deal with his day. More work around the ranch. More work at his house...He was gonna finish up the floor in his bedroom today. One step closer to at least maybe getting a bedframe and a mattress.

Yeah, he wanted to still slow down the majority of the work. But if he could _sleep_ there…

Maybe?

He needed some coffee so he could think straight.

He cursed the sun as he sat up in bed, rubbing his face again before tugging on his sweatpants and a shirt. He liked to sleep in just a pair of boxer briefs in the summer, but like hell he was gonna walk into his family's kitchen wearing just that. He didn't need commentary from his brother. Or, on occasion, father.

He lethargically stumbled out of his room to the bathroom, quickly brushing his teeth before lumbering down the stairs, and kissing his mother on the cheek.

"Well! Good morning sleepy head."

"Mornin' Ma," he mumbled, kissing her cheek back before finding the pot of coffee.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Lika log."

He thought he did at least. He vaguely remembered a panicked dream about trying to figure out this fucking weekend away with Kikyo...but he was going to deal with _that_ stress later. One life problem at a time, right?

"That's good!" his mother smiled, and his ear flicked towards the door. He heard a large vehicle coming up the way, and he perked up a little.

It could be his damn lights! Or tiles! They _should_ be here any day now. He quickly took a few deep gulps of his coffee before putting his cup down and stepping outside.

Sure enough, it was the mailman, Herman.

He waved him down as the mail truck came to a stop just outside their house.

"Hey there Herman!" he greeted as the man hopped out, opening the side of the truck.

"Morning Inuyasha! I'm glad ya came out here...I have a lot of stuff for you."

"Oh good!" He grinned, coming around to the side of the truck. "I've been waiting for these for a while! I bet it's the lights and the tiles I ordered for my house!"

"I'm...not so sure about that…" Herman replied slowly, handing Inuyasha a plastic mailbox. It was filled with other boxes and letters, and Inuyasha's brows furrowed together in confusion.

"What…?" he mumbled, perplexed by what Herman was handing him. "Herman? This...is for me?"

"Look at the letter," he shrugged, and Inuyasha plucked one from within the plastic box.

"Inuyasha Takahashi…" he mumbled. That was his name alright. He selected another one, and another, and another...They all had _his_ name on it… "What on earth…" he pondered, scratching his head in confusion.

"Would ya help me with this box? I have another two in the truck for you too."

"... _Two?!"_

"I didn't send 'em. Did you do something, Inuyasha?"

"Not that I know of…" He mumbled, grabbing the first box from Herman and bringing it into the house.

"Baby?" his mother asked when she saw him carrying it, Herman following closely behind.

"I dunno," he shrugged "It's not what I ordered though…" He turned around and took the other box as Herman went out to grab the last for him. Inuyasha reached in and grabbed a cardboard box from within the mail carrier as his brother and father pulled up to the house. He heard Pops pause to talk to Herman, but Sesshomaru - ever the opportunist - made a beeline for the house.

He was _more_ than a little curious to see what all the commotion was about, and Inuyasha rolled his eyes as Sesshomaru began poking through his letters.

"Well shit Inuyasha...the fuck did ya do?"

"I wish I knew," he shrugged, slicing the box open with his claws, and the scent of banana bread hit his nostrils.

Why the hell was he getting banana bread?

He pulled it out of the box, and handed it to his mother, plucking a letter folded in thirds from the bottom. He opened it, and a photograph fluttered to the kitchen table, which Sesshomaru quickly snatched before he could.

"What in the world," he mumbled. "She's cute…" he commented, flippin the picture around to show him a pretty blond haired woman with brown eyes and rosy cheeks. She had a small gap between her front two teeth, but it only added to her charm.

He unfolded the letter from the box and felt all of the blood drain from his face as he sat down.

"Baby?" his mother asked, coming to stand beside him. "What's wrong?"

"I…" he couldn't.

He was too shocked. He just held up the letter and Sesshomaru grabbed it before his mother could. He laughed as soon as he read it.

"Dear Inuyasha. I was recently reading the _Living Simply_ website, and found an article about you and the house you are building, written by a Kagome Higurashi. Your story is beautiful, and you seem like a truly wholesome and hardworking man. I wanted to send you a photograph of my grandaughter. If you are not otherwise seeing someone at the moment, I thought that perhaps she might catch your eye. You are a very handsome young man…"

Sesshomaru actually paused to _laugh_ at that...but Inuyasha wasn't finding it very funny at the moment.

"And I thought that if you were interested, you might like to reach out to her. She's a very smart young woman…"

He stopped paying attention. He couldn't. His mind was whirling as he reached into the box of mail and plucked out another box.

Chocolate chip cookies, and another letter, with another photograph of a woman. This time, brunette with green eyes.

He opened another, and it had blueberry muffins, and...yes. Another fucking letter.

"What's going on?" Touga asked as he entered the kitchen, with the other box from Herman. "Someone want to explain to me why Inuyasha has a box of mail?"

"Three," Sesshomaru corrected, a shit eating grin on his face as he munched on one of the chocolate chip cookies.

"Don't eat that!" Inuyasha snapped, and Sesshoamru just rolled his eyes.

"Please...Like you'll be able to eat all of this on your own. You'll get fatter."

"That's not explaining much…"

"How about this?" Sesshomaru asked, showing his father his phone. Touga took it from him, and raised his brow. "It seems...Inuyasha has a fan club of Dorises and Maureens and Susans who would like him as a grandson-in-law.

"Huh," Touga replied, plucking a cookie from the same bag Sesshomaru had taken his from. "Why don't ya use the baby oil next time Inuyasha? Someone might send a cheesecake."

"Why doesn't he...What on earth are you boys talking about?" his mother pressed, and Touga reluctantly handed her the phone, making her gasp. "Oh my Lord…"

" _What_ is going on?!" Inuyasha finally snapped, taking the phone from his mother. "I... _What?!_ "

He was looking at the latest article Kagome had written...One about painting his house.

And there.

The first thing you saw on the whole damn page.

Was a picture of him _shirtless_ as he painted the walls. He had told her to _delete that!_ They were just fucking around after Kikyo left. He was trying to raise her spirits...and his at the same time...and she decided to start snapping more photos of him, so he decided to fuck around and pretend he was in a music video. Give her "glamor" shots. But she had promised she would delete them!

_Not fucking post them on her fucking magazine's website!_

"The chocolate chip cookies are really good, not going to lie," Sesshomaru commented, reaching for another one of his boxes and opening it. "Ugh. Oatmeal bars. Who is this from...Stacy? Stacy needs to learn that it should at _least_ have chocolate if we're going to consider calling her...Oh this is a new one. It's for _her_."

"I AIN'T CALLING ANYONE!" Inuyasha burst out, snatching one of the bins off the table.

"Wait! One of them could have cheesecake in it! Inuyasha, where are you going with that?"

"TO TALK TO KAGOME!"

* * *

Inuyasha grabbed the plastic mail bin from beside him and slammed the truck door shut, stomping his way up to the Higrashi's house. He angrily jabbed his thumb into their door bell, wrapping his arm back around the middle of the box as he waited for someone to open up. When no one immediately came, he rang the bell again, doing his best to try and get some of his temper in check so he didn't break the damn thing.

Mrs. Higurashi showed up a moment later, opening the door and smiling at him with warm surprise.

"Inuyasha," she greeted stepping aside to allow him to enter. "What a wonderful surprise!"

"Is Kagome in?" he ground out through clenched teeth, and her mother looked at him in surprise. His tone was brisk and strained. He was clearly in a poor mood, and he could tell she was already bracing herself for something.

"What's the matter, Inuyasha," she tried to sooth, but he didn't want to be soothed right now. He wanted to fucking yell, and scream, and ask her what the _hell_ was she thinking?

He wasn't fucking meat! She couldn't just...just... _do that to him!_

"I need to speak with her about the article she wrote. Now, please, if she's home. I'll wait if she ain't."

Mrs. Higurashi's shoulders slumped, and he could tell that she wanted to get him to calm at least a little before he rained down on her daughter, but she must have decided that it was better if she stayed out of it.

"She's in her room sweetie," she nodded, and he gave her his thanks, stomping up the stairs as she followed. "What's going on," she pressed, still trying to calm him at least a little, but he didn't want to be calmed!

He wanted Kagome to take the damn photo down! And make all the baked goods go away.

"Kagome," he pounded on her door, the wood rattling on it's metal hinges. "Kagome, open up."

She did, and she looked at him with surprise.

"Inuyasha—"

"—Do you know what just happened?" he pressed, moving past her into her room. "You probably have no idea, do ya?" he continued before she could respond. "But your little stunt that you pulled? Herman just showed up at our house with two more of these," he explained sharply, dumping the bin and it's contents onto her bed. Letters flew everywhere as boxes of baked goods scattered across her comforter.

"What is it," she asked nervously, and he picked up a random letter, shoving it at her.

"Open it. Go ahead."

She looked terrified as she did, and this time, instead of banana bread or cookies, a plastic ziplock baggie fell out containing women's underwear.

"W-what…"

"Here!" he snapped, shoving another one at her. That one had been a fluke. Maybe the boxes were actually safer. Who the hell sent red lacy panties?!

Her hands were shaking a little as she ripped the letter open and unfolded.

"Read it," he insisted, balling his hands into trembling fists.

"Oh my God...Inuyasha—"

"—Why the _fuck_ did ya do it Kagome?!" he burst, unable to contain himself longer.

"Inuyasha...I...Oh my God!"

"Will someone _please_ tell me what's going on!" her mother interjected, clearly confused, and Kagome shakily shoved the letter at her as she sprinted to her computer, hitting buttons to wake it up and log on.

"You told me you were going to delete those!" Inuyasha continued as her mother gasped. "You told me they were just for fucking fun! That we were goofing around! Not that you were using me as fucking eye candy for your fucking website so you could improve your fucking numbers!"

"That's not what happened!" she insisted, pulling up the website with her article on it. "Oh...My...God…" she breathed in abject horror.

"No?" he snapped, brandishing his finger at the shirtless photo of him on the screen. "Then how the hell do ya explain that! God dammit Kagome! Is this what ya wanted? Why ya asked me to do all of this?"

" _No!_ Oh my God, Inuyasha I had no idea this happened! You have to believe me…" she pleaded, already pulling up the photos from the day they were painting his house. He could smell the tears springing to her eyes as she typed. "Just...just give me a minute, and I'll fix it."

"It's a little late for that! I have a fucking bakery at my house...and maybe hald a lingerie store in these damn letters!"

"It wasn't intentional," she swore again, tears spilling down her cheeks as her bottom lip began to tremble.

"Inuyasha, Sweetie," her mother tried to soothe, running her hands up and down his trembling back. "Why don't you give her a second to explain...She said she has an explanation…" Yet, even _she_ smelled skeptical and horrified.

"Fine...what do ya have ta say for yourself?" he demanded, and she took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself and explain.

"I-It was late...And I had spent the whole day working on painting the house with you so I was exhausted...I was trying to get the article done and proofed...the coffee wasn't really working anymore, so I just...I grabbed one of the photos I had on my desktop as a placeholder and uploaded it and I _swear_ I thought I hit the save draft button, not the publish now button, and I didn't catch it and...Inuyasha...I'm so, _so_ sorry…"

He tried to take a small, subtle whiff in her direction, just to see if she smelled as remorseful as she looked, and she did.

"Kagome...why did you even still have that photo of me? You told me you deleted all of them…"

Her mother took that as her cue to leave the room, deciding that he wasn't going to murder her only daughter. From the way Kagome turned bright red through the tears, she probably didn't want to know the answer either. He was _very_ interested in it, however.

"I...Couldn't delete all of them," she blushed, wiping at her cheeks with the palms of her hands. "I...I kept a few of them…"

"But _why?"_ he pressed, and she glanced down in embarrassment, her scent spiking ever so slightly.

"You weren't...Kagome, were they for your spank bank?"

"What?! No!" she gasped indignantly.

Her scent was telling him otherwise.

"They were!"

"I-I...I was holding onto them in case you wanted them for a dating website or something!"

"You're such a liar!" he replied, his body and tone relaxing from the angry state it had been in before, into a slightly amused one. "You were totally gonna look at them when ya were all alone and use them as bean flicking material!"

"Would you stop," she snapped, her cheeks bright red as she reached for a white stuffed toy dog he had given her when they were younger and threw it at him. He caught it, laughing at how flustered she was.

"I mean, if ya'd asked, I would have given ya more than just a shirtless photo to use..."

"INUYASHA!"

"Women are sending me panties! I think I'm allowed to make a masterbation joke, Kagome," he replied, throwing the toy back at her, and she caught it, putting it back on the desk next to her.

"Just...give me a moment and I'll get this photo down and replace it with one I actually wanted to use. Oh my god...I didn't even completely edit the article...How the hell have I not received an angry phone call from my boss yet?!"

"I dunno...Maybe she thought it was intentional. Rest of us sure as hell did."

"Well it wasn't! Oh my god," she groaned again, loading the photo into some smaller screen on her computer before clicking and typing away on the website.

"There," she announced after a minute, refreshing the page. "It's down."

"Yeah, but...Ya gotta wonder how many old biddies saved it or sent it around before ya did that."

"Oh god…" she moaned, burying her face in her hands, crying. "Inuyasha...I'm so sorry...I didn't...I swear this wasn't intentional...I'd never...I didn't mean to…"

"I believe ya," he sighed. He couldn't be mad at her. He had every right to be, but he couldn't do it. Not when it was an accident. He came to stand in front of her, pulling her into his chest, and running his hands up and down her back. He had come to give her what for, and he had, but he hadn't expected to end up here.

Comforting _her_ from what _she_ had done.

"I don't think you're meat. I wasn't trying to pimp you out…"

"But ya did," he mumbled despite his better judgement, and she groaned again. "Did I at least help ya with your numbers?"

"I'm not even thinking about that right now," she replied honestly, pulling her face away from his abdomen.

"What are you thinking about? My shirtless torso?"

Other parts of his body?

"I am not!" she squeaked, and he picked her up, ignoring her squeals as he brought her over to her bed. He laid her down in his lap as she sat near her pillows, away from his mountain of fan mail.

"So...Was it good?" he smirked and she looked at him in confusion as she settled against him.

"Was what good?" she replied, furrowing her perfect brows.

" _You know…"_ he hinted, a fang peeking out of the corner of his mouth. "Your _solo act_."

"My... _Inuyasha!"_ she squeaked, her eyes going wide as saucers as she figured out what he meant. "I didn't do... _that_ to a photo of you!"

He took a couple of deep sniffs, loud enough to embarrass her and she squeaked, smacking his chest and telling him to quit it. He could...holy shit! He could smell traces of... _something_ still lingering in her bed sheets!

 _Shit!_ She totally _had!_

"You can be honest with me, ya know. You can say you're attracted to me."

She turned bright red again and he fucking loved it.

"Yes. Ok? Does that make you feel better?"

"Did it make _you_ feel better?" he countered, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"No!" she snapped, and he grinned cheekily at her irritation.

"Shame...I could always do a live show for ya if that would be better…"

"Inuyasha!"

"...That ain't a no…"

" _It's a no!"_

"Ok then...well...how about we open some of this? Someone is bound to have sent something good."

"Yeah - that's exactly what I want. Horny grandma baked goods."

"Hell of a company tagline - what do ya think their name would be? Dusty Muffins?"

"Granny Goodies?"

He straight out laughed at that, and he heard footsteps receding down the hall. Her mother must have stayed to make sure everything would be ok. That must have been her cue that they were fine.

"To be fair, they weren't askin' ta sleep with me or nothing. They were just pimping their single grandkids out to me."

"See anyone you like?"

"Please...I have my hands full with just Kikyo right now. I don't need to add a second woman to the mix."

...Unless it was Kagome. Then he'd just...keep her. Say to hell with the rest of them.

If Kagome was an option for him…

He mentally sighed and gave himself a little shake. What ifs were a dangerous path to go down, no matter how pretty a picture they painted.

And life with her...Well...It could be a very pretty picture.

But he knew he shouldn't be looking at it. No matter how much he wanted to.

He felt her completely relax in his arms, bringing his attention back to her, and he plucked a box from the pile, deftly slicing open the tape and handing it to her.

"What's in the box?"

"Hopefully not a head," she snorted, and he chuckled, leaning forward to nip her jawline.

He heard her heart beat faster in her chest, and it made him smile a little.

"Open it," he prodded, giving himself another mental shake, and she pulled out a bag of snicker doodles. He opened it as she pulled out the latest letter, this time asking him to email a daughter...and if he didn't like her...there were two others where she came from.

"They're cute," Kagome commented, showing him the photos.

"Eh," he shrugged, biting into the cookie. "Mmm...Their mom sure knows how to bake though," he commented as he chewed, and Kagome scrunched up her nose.

"Don't talk and chew at the same time," she reprimanded...which was a mistake on her part. All it did was encourage him to do it more, and she shrieked in disgust when he made her look at it. "You're so gross!"

"Yeah...but ya love me anyways," he winked, trying hard to ignore the way she stilled and looked down into her lap before grabbing another box.

"Shall we see what's in this one?"

"Sure," he agreed, holding the other half of his snickerdoodle up to her lips. "Try it," he pressed, taking the box from her and using his pinky to slice it open.

"It's not bad...Almost worth the call…" she commented, biting into the cookie he held before he popped the rest of it into his mouth.

"No amount of baked goods will be worth the call."

"I dunno," she commented, taking out fudge from inside the box. "This might be worth it…" she mused, unwrapping one of the squares and biting into it. "Hmmm…" she pondered as she chewed, and he took her hand, making her bring the fudge up to his lips.

He took a bite, gently and intentionally scraping his fang against the tip of her finger. She shivered lightly, and he internally smirked at her reaction.

"Good…" he commented, glancing over the letter she handed him. "But she's in her fifties...Not sure I want an older woman like that...She could be my mother!"

"Not your type?"

"My type is…"

What was his type?

He liked women who were smart, and funny. Women who liked to tease him and give him grief with a twinkle in their eye. Women who challenged him and weren't afraid to back down from a fight. He liked women who were beautiful. Black hair...blue eyes...curves that made his mouth dry, and legs for days…

He liked women who were…

Who were...

...Childhood friends, before more...

God...he still wanted her, didn't he? He still wanted to hold her and kiss her...feel her arms wrap around his body...feel her lips on his skin...hear her whisper sweet nothings into his ear...He wanted what they had once had. He wanted her to be his again.

This woman wasn't his type, because his type was the woman sitting in his lap.

His type was Kagome.

"Younger," he finally whispered, swallowing hard at the realization, even as she fed him the rest of the fudge, and he slowly licked the chocolate from her fingers.

His type was Kagome.

And he was fucked.

* * *

Inuyasha sighed as he cut the engine on the truck, looking at the plastic mail bin beside him. He had spent almost the entire day with Kagome, making up and casually teasing each other and trying some of everything that had been sent to him. Unfortunately he _had_ in fact received more than one pair of panties...and they met a fiery death in her family's fire pit. Along with all of the letters and pictures.

It felt good. Cathartic.

And he was _almost_ looking forward to doing it with the other two boxes, if his father and brother hadn't already gone through all of them looking for cheesecake. He wouldn't have been surprised if that was in there too. People had sent him a little bit of everything, apparently.

Rum balls, coffee cake, sugar cookies…

You name it, it had been sent to him, along with a letter and a photo.

He grabbed the plastic mailer from the seat beside him and left the truck, closing the door with his hip. He had done absolutely nothing today. Hadn't worked on his flooring. Hadn't worked on either of the ranches…

He was calling it a personal day.

He was allowed to have those now and again, right?

The weather door clamored shut behind him as he entered the kitchen, the smell of lasagna permeating the air still as he dropped the box on the table.

Shame he didn't feel hungry. He loved his mom's lasagna.

...Maybe he could still sneak a forkful from the fridge?

He turned around to grab a fork from the silverware drawer and moved to the fridge...and paused in his steps.

Someone...any by someone, he really knew _Sesshomaru…_ Had printed out the article Kagome had written and taped it to the fridge with the words, "your baby oil will be here next week" under it.

He couldn't kill his brother...his mother would kill _him._

He couldn't kill his brother...his mother would kill _him._

He heard a catcall from the other room, and he snatched the photo off the fridge.

Fuck it.

Death would be worth it.

* * *

A/N:

IT'S ALMOST HERE!

But if you can't wait…Hit up my tumblr (lemonlushff) for details on how to read it early!

I read each and every review, and THANK YOU for taking the time to leave one! They are a great reminder that people want me to keep doing this and posting! THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT! I'll reply to them all slowly...I swear...

Until next time…

-LL


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 22

" _It will be fun,"_ Kikyo cooed into the phone as he absently fiddled with the ties to his sweatpants.

She was trying to convince him to go to ladies' night at the Rusty Bucket with her, and he was feeling a little torn. He was exhausted. He'd finally finished up the flooring in his bedroom, and had worked both his family's ranch as well as the Higurashi's. He had just gotten out of a shower and changed when she called.

He had groaned when he had seen her name cross his phone screen because he was just... _exhausted…_

He couldn't ignore her though.

He was still trying to convince himself that he could make this relationship work, and going would help with that. 'Sides. If he stayed home, he had a mini vacation to plan. He was driving himself crazy trying to work on this "weekend getaway" anyway. He didn't know how to plan something like that for her, but he needed to at least _try_. Kikyo was right...with how he had been behaving…

She needed _something_ , and if it wasn't going to be a title, then he needed to do something else for her. So…

He picked this.

And this was...a _lot_ more work than he was anticipating…

...And the thought of working on it was making him need a drink anyway.

"Ok," he agreed, trying not to sigh. "Can I met ya there in like...an hour?"

" _An hour will be perfect!"_ she beamed on the other side of the phone. _"It's going to be so much fun, Inuyasha! They're doing a mechanical bull riding contest tonight, and I've been itching to give it another go since last time!"_

Mechanical bull, huh?

Should at least provide some entertainment…

"Sounds good - I'll see ya there, Kikyo."

" _See you there, Inuyasha…"_ she murmured seductively into the phone before they hung up, and it fell listlessly to the bed from his loose grip. His back dropped back into his pillow as he covered his hands with his face.

Fuck…

He really didn't feel like going…

But he really, _really_ needed to…

Fuck!

* * *

The music was loud and the mechanical bull was already in use when Inuyasha finally entered the Rusty Bucket a little over an hour later. He hoped that Kikyo wouldn't ream him for being late. He had just taken a little bit of personal alone time to play around with his phone after they had hung up.

It weren't porn though!

He was still dealing with the body oil jokes from Pops and Sessh. He didn't need to remind them that he liked to fiddle with his diddle from time to time too. They had _just_ forgotten about his alone time in the shower…

When he walked through the door, he immediately started searching for Kikyo and found that she had snagged a table for two near the mechanical bull. He wove his way through the crowded bar as best he could, his ears folding down as men whooped and hollered at the woman currently on the bull. She wasn't doing half bad, but he had seen better.

Sure enough, a few seconds later, she was thrown off. She was fine though and got up and bowed to everyone before wobbly exiting the padded enclosure the mechanical bull was in.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo waved when she spotted him, and he waved back as he continued to slowly edge closer to her. She had two beers on the table and had worn a green and blue plaid flannel that she had tied under her breasts, exposing the expanse of her abdomen. She had paired it with a pair of rather short shorts, and some cowboy boots.

"Hey," he greeted with - what he hoped was - a warm smile as he kissed her cheek.

"Hey yourself," she replied, pushing the beer closer to him. "I already ordered one for you."

"Taking advantage of ladies' night pricing?" he teased, his lips quirking up into a smirk.

"Might as well," she grinned back cheekily.

"I won't stop ya," he replied, taking a sip. "Sorry I was a bit late. Lost track of time at home."

"It's fine," she shrugged dismissively. "I'm just glad you're here now. We can have a fun night together."

"Yeah…" he agreed, trying to not let it show that he still didn't want to be here. He'd rather be at home in bed...But…

He decided not to think about it and took another swig from his beer as the door opened again. He didn't know why he heard it over the rumble of the music...the whir of the gears in the bull...the cheering of the people around him...But he did. Clear as day.

And then, he could smell her.

His back stiffened, and he hoped Kikyo didn't notice. He glanced at her, and she seemed to be preoccupied watching the next girl try and take on the bull. Sarah Oakland. They had gone to school with her too. She had blond hair and blue eyes and eyes that never stopped smiling. She was doing pretty well on the bull, and the men there were certainly enjoying the show.

He wasn't paying attention to her though.

He was focused on Kagome...And Sango...And Miroku...And how they were apparently coming over to them to talk.

Fuck.

"Inuyasha! Hey!" Miroku greeted, waving his arms wildly in the air as they approached. "I didn't know you two were going to be coming out tonight!"

What could he say to that? He wasn't, but he had his arm twisted into being here tonight?

"I couldn't say no when this little lady asked me," he replied truthfully instead, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as Sango and Kagome made it over to their table. "Hey," he greeted smally, trying to not keep his eyes on Kagome for too long. She wore an outfit similar to Kikyo's, only her shirt was red...And it made his heart speed up a little in his chest.

He wanted to play with the ties of her shirt and loosen them. Slide his hands up the expanse of her abdomen and feel her skin under his palms…

He tore his eyes away from her and back to Kikyo after they had greeted him in kind.

"I'm going to take Kagome to sign up for the bull, but can we join you when you get back?"

"...Sure," Kikyo replied hesitantly, and Inuyasha furrowed his brow at her. They were technically on a date right now, spur of the moment as it may have been. He was surprised she had said yes, and even more surprised Sango had asked. Miroku too, if his expression was anything to go off of. "Why don't I go with you?" Kikyo continued, trying to not act slightly rattled. "I've been meaning to sign up."

"Great!" Sango nodded, allowing Kikyo to lead the way as she dragged Kagome behind her. Miroku grabbed an extra chair for their table, and sat down next to him, eyeing his friend carefully.

"Can I help ya?" Inuyasha asked, slightly irritated with him.

Miroku was silent for a moment, his lips pressed into a thin line before he said, "Sure. You free this weekend or next? I need help loading another truck."

"Yeah," he nodded, taking another swig of his beer. "Just tell me the details and I'll be there."

"Thanks...You're a good friend...I'm almost wondering how good of a friend you really are…" he mused, waving back to Sango when she waved to him and then pointed to the bar. They spoke in hand signals for a moment as his girlfriend worked out that her boyfriend did, in fact, want for her to also get him a beer.

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"Sesshomaru sent me an... _interesting_ photo…" he explained, shooting him a concerned look.

"Fucking hell…"

Of course he did.

"Do you maybe want to explain how that happened?"

"No," he snorted, drinking his beer. "None of your business."

"Ok," Miroku nodded, resting his arms behind his neck as his lips pressed into a thin line. "I just don't want to see you getting hurt again, Inuyasha…"

"Listen...I can handle myself just fine, alright? We're friends and that's it. Something you should know something about. You two came with her tonight, didn't ya?"

"Sango came with her. I came with Sango."

"Oh hell...This is gonna be one of those nights, ain't it?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, ya do. We survived middle school tagether. You're _my_ friend. You're trying to bro before hoe. Miroku, Kagome and I kissed and made up and we're moving on. Don't ostracize her."

"I'm just worried about you," Miroku explained, trying to pacify his rising temper. "You don't remember what you were like after you two split, but I do. And that photo is... _concerning_."

"You don't have anything ta worry about. I promise. I'm with Kikyo."

"...Are you?"

"...Yes…"

"Then why have you hardly been able to keep your eyes off of Kagome since we came over here?"

Inuyasha choked a little on his beer as he took a sip from it.

"I...Yes I have!"

"Really?"

Inuyasha pointedly turned his head to look his friend in the eyes and tell him rather seriously, "Yeah. I have. Doing it right now, ain't I?"

Miroku's eyes searched his face before he relaxed back in his chair.

"Ok. You think she won't be a problem, she won't be a problem. I love you like a brother. I don't want to see you hurt again."

"I know," he sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "You too…"

"So...How _is_ it going with her? Kikyo, I mean."

Inuyasha raised a brow at him and shrugged.

"It's...going…"

"Are you...happy?"

Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair.

"Honestly? I don't know what we are...but...If I don't ask her to stick around soon, I don't know if there's going to be much of an 'us' for much longer."

"Do you _want_ there to be an 'us' for you two?"

He rolled his eyes.

"What's my alternative?"

Miroku gave him a sympathetic look.

"If...you aren't happy…"

"I'm making it work."

"But if you _aren't._ You should do what _does_ make you happy. Whatever that is. Don't settle. There are other women out there too. Kikyo isn't your last chance at anything. You know that, right? That you aren't stuck with her?"

"Yeah…" he nodded. "I know," he reassured his friend as the women started making their way back over to them, and he switched the conversation over to talk about the beer Miroku needed help with as they sat down. The next hour passed amicably enough, with everyone exchanging idle conversation...and as he tried to avoid looking at Kagome as best as he could.

It was hard, though.

God, she was beautiful. Sexy as hell. And that smile...Fuck. She was lighting up the whole damn room with that smile as she talked to Sango…

He just wanted to take her away from here and go back to their spot and have her smile like that at him all night long. Laugh with her about the stupid little things. Kiss her gently. Hold her tightly.

He...He had it bad for her again, didn't he?

His conversation with Miroku echoed through his mind as Sango left to ride the bull, but he couldn't pay attention to her. Not when he was still thinking about what Miroku had said.

Was he happy with Kikyo? Did he ever really _see_ himself being happy with her? They had been doing whatever _this_ was for a while now. Shouldn't he know?

...Or...was the real problem that he _did_ know...and he was just too scared to do anything about it?

The thought made his heart sink...but…

"Hey, not bad!" Kagome praised as Sango got back to the table, sipping from her beer and fanning herself off.

"I'll say...but you're up next Kagome," she grinned, and Kagome stood, flashing them all a brilliant smile.

"Wish me luck?"

They all did...except him, and she bit her lip, glancing down at the floor before meeting his eyes again.

"Yash?"

"Yash?" Kikyo interrupted, turning to look at him, and he swallowed.

"Yeah. Yash. That's my name."

"And since when did she start calling you that again," she pressed, and Kagome's gaze turned a little fiery.

"And that matters why?" she replied, as the announcer called her name again. "He's my friend, Kikyo…"

"And he's _my_ boyfriend!"

"...Is he?" she replied, and he could see the regret on her face as soon as the words slipped past her lips. "I-I'm sorry. I need to go."

She was right though.

He wasn't.

And...he wasn't sure he wanted to be.

He wanted to go after her, but his place was here right now. Just for the next few minutes...and he could feel the anger radiating off of Kikyo in waves.

"Why didn't you say something to her," Kikyo hissed, looking at him with a deep rage burning in her eyes. "You didn't correct her."

"Because we are friends," he replied as Kagome got onto the mechanical bull.

"That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it…"

"Perhaps...this is a conversation best left for another time?" Sango tried, and Kikyo shot her a withering look - but it did the trick. Kikyo bit her lip and said nothing more as the bull began rotating with Kagome on its seat. She was rusty at this - he supposed she didn't have a lot of practice in California.

She seemed to be having a relatively good time, however. A wide smile was plastered across her face, little shrieks spilling from her lips as the bull suddenly jerked left or right, or on occasion, stopped altogether. Her eyes were sparkling in delight, and he found himself completely captivated by her.

She looked up from the bull and into the crowd, and his heart jumped a little when it looked like she might be looking for someone. And then...she found him. Their eyes locked, and he felt all the air leave his lungs. She didn't even know the power she held over him in that moment. Her hair wild, her eyes bright...her smile radiant…

The bull jerked to the left, and she fell off of it. He expected her to get up right away...make a little move of victory or sadness that she had been thrown off...maybe even shrug...but she didn't.

Was she hurt?

Oh fuck.

She was hurt wasn't she!

He got up from his seat, ignoring Kikyo's reaching hands, and made his way to the edge of the ring, gripping it. His heart was thundering in his chest as a thousand different injuries played out in his mind. Broken leg. Broken arm. Sprains, fractures...He felt sick.

"Kagome?" he called out, and she didn't say or do anything, but her body was trembling.

Shit.

_Fuck!_

This weren't good.

"Kagome," he tried again, gripping the siding a little harder than before...and relaxing it when she rolled onto her back, her chest vibrating with laughter.

"Hey," she giggled, sitting up and biting her lip as she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Hey," he sighed, shoving his hands nervously into his pockets. "You scared me Kags…"

"Sorry," she smiled sheepishly as she stood, allowing him to help her out of the ring and he carefully examined her. "Yash, I'm fine," she replied, her smile dimming as Kikyo came over to them.

"Kikyo," Kagome began, her tone apologetic, "Listen...I'm so sorry I shouldn't ha—"

"—Save it," she replied, coming to stand between her and Inuyasha. "It's my turn, and I plan on showing everyone here how a _real_ woman rides a bull."

Kagome was stunned silent, and could only nod as Kikyo mounted the mechanical bull.

"Kagome, are you—"

"—We should get back to the table," she murmured, turning away from him and heading back towards their friends.

"Y-yeah," he mumbled, following after her as Kikyo began to ride it. He wasn't paying attention, but from what he could gather, the men there were rather pleased with her show. There were a lot of catcalls and wolf-whistling...and it should have bothered him, but he was too entranced by the sway of Kagome's hips to notice.

"You're sure you're ok," he pressed as they sat down.

"Yes," she smiled reassuringly at him, both ignoring the looks their friends gave them. "It was fun...it's been a while since I did that last."

"Well...if you wanna come back again soon to have another go at it...I'd come with ya."

"Really?"

"'Course. It's fine, and you looked like you were having a blast."

"I was," she smiled brightly at him, and he swore his heart skipped a beat.

"Ok. Later this week then?"

"Maybe?"

"Maybe?"

She bit her lip and glanced back at the bull.

Oh.

"Ah…" he trailed off, and she picked up her beer.

"It...doesn't...feel right. I don't want to get you in more trouble. I didn't...what I said earlier—"

"—Don't worry about it, Kags. You're right. I'm not her boyfriend…" he reassured her, picking up his bottle and fiddling with the label. He glanced back up at the bull, watching as Kikyo's body moved in tandem with her mount. Her movements were smooth. Fluid. Erotic. He felt absolutely nothing for her...and the realization was reaffirming.

"And...I'm not so sure I wanna be," he murmured, surprising Miroku.

"Inuyasha?" his friend pressed, trying to encourage him to say more, but he couldn't. Kikyo was thrown from the bull at that moment, and he took that as his cue.

He had just enough beer in his system to muster up the courage to do something about this, and he needed to. Now.

He made his way back over to Kikyo, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was all bubbly laughter and smiles as she pulled him down for a kiss, trying to coax him into responding to her, but he was so surprised that he didn't.

Couldn't?

Wouldn't.

"Come with me," she breathed against his lips when she broke from him, and he nodded. Yeah. Good. They needed to get out of there.

"Good idea," he agreed, and her smile widened before she shot a smug look in Kagome's direction, leading him back towards the entrance of the bar.

He sighed in relief as they exited, and he unflattened his ears for the first time in about an hour. Fuck it felt good.

"Kiky—MM!" he began, turning to her only to be pressed back against the brick exterior wall of the Rusty Bucket. Her lips were on his in seconds as she took his hand and placed it under her thigh, keeping it in place when she tried to wrap it slightly around his waist. One of her hands had slipped up under the hem of his shirt and was tracing the lines of his abdomen as she pulled at his lips with hers.

It should have been hot.

Should have set his blood on fire.

All he could think though...instead of how incredibly sexy she was...how arousing the situation was...Was that he needed to find a way to get her off of him so he could end things with her.

Inuyasha pulled his lips away from her, tilting his head up, which only prompted her to suckle his neck.

"K-Kikyo...wait...please…"

"What is it?" she asked, the hand under his shirt switching courses and charting a path south of the border. He yelped in surprise when her fingers almost grazed against his cock and he took her shoulders, physically moving her away from him, a look of horror on his face.

"K-Kikyo!"

"I'm so tired of waiting Inuyasha," she explained, her eyes pleading. "Please? Let's get out of here. Let's go back to my place and just—"

"—Kikyo, I can't date you anymore."

It was like dropping an atomic bomb.

"You...What?" she whispered, stunned. It was like she couldn't believe what she was hearing, and frankly, he couldn't believe he was doing it. Right here. Right now.

"I-I'm so sorry Kikyo...I just…"

She pulled away from him, her face shell shocked. He couldn't blame her.

"I'm an asshole," he agreed before she could say anything. "I've been telling you that I wanted this. I told you again and again and...I _did._ When I said it, I meant it...but...I think I realized tonight that...I just...can't."

Kikyo's face remained blank as she seemed to process what was going on, and then...all at once...it clicked.

"It's Kagome, isn't it?" she breathed, her eyes searching his face, and he couldn't lie to her.

"I'm not ending it so I can be with her...but...in a way? Yeah. It is."

"What does that even mean?" she demanded, her eyes beginning to gloss over with tears.

"It means that...I...I was reminded of why I asked her to marry me when we were kids. It's 'cause everything comes natural to us. It was comfortable. There was none of this…" he paused, trying to find the words and failing. "It was just easier with her. We were friends before we were...more. So being with her just felt like being with my best friend...who I could kiss and touch…"

"And you don't think we will ever have that," she surmised.

"I don't think so," he breathed out reluctantly, his words coming out in a whoosh of air. "Kikyo, you're great—"

"—Stop. Don't feed me the 'you're great but' or the 'it's not you, it's me' lines."

"Kikyo…" he tried, raising his hand to reach for her, but she pulled away and his fingers curled in on themselves. He slowly lowered his hand as his ears folded back. "I really did think I'd feel something for you, one day."

"Did you," she laughed bitterly, wiping at her cheeks.

"I wouldn't have led you on like this if I didn't think we could be more serious…"

"Tell me something then, Inuyasha."

"Of course," he nodded as she chewed her lip.

"If she had never come back, do you think we could have made it? Or if I had asked you out sooner...Do you think we would be together?"

He felt like all of the air was knocked from his lungs. My God...what kind of question was _that_? And how did he even _begin_ to answer it?

"I...I don't know, Kikyo."

"That's not an answer."

He chewed the inside of his cheek, glancing up at the moon above, and he was reminded of how he had stargazed with Kagome at their old spot not too long ago.

"I don't think so," he breathed out, not taking his eyes off of the moon before a moment. When he finally met Kikyo's gaze again, he knew that he was destroying her. "I think...I think it's always been Kagome, Kikyo. Ever since she kissed me when we were kids...She was my whole world for ten years. Seven years can't change a lifetime, together."

"Of course not," she laughed bitterly.

"I never meant to hurt you Kikyo - you have to understand that. Please…"

She just shook her head, the tears continuing to stream down her face.

"I really thought I had a chance this time," she mused, covering her mouth with her hand and closing her eyes. "I liked you so damn much Inuyasha...I shouldn't have ignored the warning signs...I should have known better...but I just wanted you so damn much…"

"Kikyo…"

She shook her head and pulled further away from him when he took a step towards her.

"I hope you and Kagome are happy together."

"I...I don't know if she...If we…"

Kikyo laughed bitterly at him.

"Then you're a fucking fool, Inuyasha. You're leaving me for her, and you're seriously not going to try anything with her?"

"She's leaving for LA…"

"And since when has that stopped anyone?"

He stood there shell shocked as her words slowly sunk in and she shook her head, coming back to him to cup his face between both of her hands. She stood up on the balls of her feet to plant one last chaste, lingering kiss on his lips.

"Goodbye, Inuyasha. I hope for your sake, you stop being confused about what you want. And soon, before you lose everyone."

She disappeared then, leaving him alone and standing limply outside of the Rusty Bucket. It took him a moment to gather himself back up and make his way back to his friends, and he noticed that the girls were missing. When he did, Miroku, shot him a questioning look, telling him that they were in the bathroom, and he nodded his acknowledgment of the statement.

"You good?" Miroku pressed, and Inuyasha sighed.

"I broke up with Kikyo."

Miroku opened his mouth to say something, but the women stepped out of the bathroom at that moment, and Inuyasha shook his head.

"You were right. I deserve to be happy...and Kikyo weren't it."

He watched as Kagome smoothed a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling brightly at Sango.

"Someone else is."

* * *

A/N: HAPPY HOLIDAYS GUYS! This is your holiday present - a chapter VERY early! Or right on time? Hard to say anymore given the month that things went wonky...

EITHER WAY, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, and I hope that this chapter was worth the wait!

Only a few more now until Inu and Kag give up and say I GIVE UP. I can't fight it anymore. I want to give us another try.

As always...You can read chapters early elsewhere - just check out my tumblr (lemonlushff) for details!

A MASSIVE thank you to everyone who reviewed this last chapter...YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!

Until next time!

-LL


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 23

Everything was dark. She could see, but it was hard. She was in a room - a bar. She could smell the alcohol. Hear the murmur of people around her. Details slowly came into focus...A steer's head on the wall, a pool table in the corner...Little things that told someone who had been there before that they were in the Rust Bucket.

A drink was before her on the wooden table. A beer with little beads of condensation rolling down the sides. Sango was beside her, but her words weren't important. What was important was the anticipation she felt in the pit of her stomach. The excitement.

Suddenly, a spotlight from the ceiling lit, focusing on the stage, and she saw Inuyasha beside the mechanical bull. He wore nothing more than an open vest, his cowboy hat, a pair of jeans, and some boots. His black hair hung loosely around his shoulders and back and...His chest…

God.

He had oiled his chest, and every rise and dip in his body gleamed in the spotlight...and his body was perfect. She could wash her delicates on that body. She wanted to do a lot more than that though...

His taupe eyes caught hers in the crowd, and he gave her a little devious grin as the music began to play, and a part of her wanted to laugh. Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) echoed off the walls as women began catcalling him. Telling him to lose the vest. The pants.

He just smirked at them and ran his hands down his body, pulling at the belt buckle as his body rolled. He was enjoying the attention...but his eyes were locked on her. They were staring at _her,_ looking _her_ straight in the eye.

He knew she wanted him.

And he was showing her just what could be hers.

His eyes told her that all she had to do was say the word, but the words were dry in her throat. It was like she didn't know how to speak anymore as he thumbed his belt buckle again, raising a brow at her.

She swallowed.

He removed it, tossing it off to the side.

She nearly melted in her seat.

God.

She wondered what kind of oil he had put on his body, and if she would get sick if she licked it off of him. She didn't think she cared. It would be worth it.

She swallowed again, just imagining what it would be like to feel his smooth, slick skin under her hands. What it would be like to feel her lips trailing up from that delicious, chiseled V to his navel...his pectorals...what it would be like to scrap her teeth against his nipple…

He smirked at her and hopped onto the mechanical bull beside him, and it roared to life. He leaned backward on it, grabbing his vest and giving it a nice shake as the bull began to move. It rocked him forwards and backwards. He handled it like a pro, his body rolling with each and every move it made. The muscles of his abdomen alone were seducing her...and when she looked into those taupe eyes…

He ran his hands back up his body, hooking his fingers under the armholes of his vest. It slipped down his shoulders and he swung it around over his head before tossing it into the crowd.

Was he…

Fuck, was he going to completely strip on that bull?

She was watching him with bated breath, hoping he would take off more, and praying that he would leave his jeans on all at the same time.

Some things, a woman just wanted to do herself, and with the way he was moving on that bull…

God. She really wanted to do it herself.

The music came to an end and he hopped off the bull, his molten eyes locked on her as he jumped over the flimsy barrier roping off the bull from the rest of the bar. Never once did his gaze falter. Never once did she doubt that he was coming over to her. Never once did she doubt with the intensity of that smolder in his eyes...that sheer, raw, _desire_...That when he got to her, he was going to kiss her.

Deeply.

Passionately.

And she was going to welcome it.

When he was standing before her, she stood meeting his gaze head-on, and when he did nothing, she raised her eyebrow, as if to silently say, "Well?"

He just smirked and swept all of the bottles off the table, they scattered and clattered against the floor, but no one gave a damn. Didn't give it a second thought as he leaned her backward onto the table, his lips latching onto hers. The move knocked the wind from her lungs for a moment, but she couldn't find a fuck to give. Not when this felt so damn good. Not when he was kissing her in a way she hadn't realized she had missed until she had it again, and _fuck_ was it good having this again. He tasted how she remembered, but the passion...The desperation for more…

The fucking _hunger_ she could taste dripping from his lips with every movement…

Fuck, she thought she was going to die. His hand splayed across her bare abdomen, inching its way up her ribs and she felt him shift the weight of his body off of hers, his fingers pulling the tie of her shirt open so he could expose her lacy bra to his searching fingers.

She moaned into him, begging him for more, and he gave it to her as his lips moved down to her jaw, licking and nipping her skin.

"Kags," he moaned, thrusting his pelvis against her, and she could feel the familiar stiffness of his erection straining against the denim of his jeans.

"Yash," she responded in kind, grabbing fistfuls of his hair and pulling him closer as his teeth scraped along the column of her neck. Her voice was so raspy it almost sounded foreign to her ears.

He moaned against her skin, moving his talented lips further south, and her breath caught in her throat as he neared her clavicle - his thumb and forefinger coming to the tip of her breast to roll her nipple between them over the lace of her bra.

"Yash," she begged again, and he laughed throatily against her skin.

"I like it when you say my name like that. Do it again, Kags," he demanded, looking up at her. "Do it, and I'll give ya what you want."

"And what do I want?" she rasped, and he smirked at her, thrusting his hips into her, letting her feel the full extent of his erection.

"My cock."

"Maybe that's not what I want," she smirked back, and the baffled look he gave her was everything. It was almost enough to make her laugh. "...Maybe I want your mouth first."

His befuddled expression melted into a smirk, and her legs wrapped around his waist.

"Call my name again, and I'll give ya whatever ya damn well please."

She bit her lip, squaring her shoulders and making sure she was looking him straight in the eye as she throatily called out, "Yash."

He ripped her bra open with the inhuman strength she missed, and his lips descended on her breast, his hand cupping the other as he brushed his finger against her nipple. He placed gentle nips against her skin and her fingers found themselves buried in his hair again as she tried to guide and direct him.

He didn't need much directing, however.

God, he was good. Perfect. He was making her whole body ache and quiver for more, and she was begging him for it. His name dripped from her lips like a prayer, and it goaded him on.

His lips left her breasts, pressing hot, wet kisses in a trail down her sternum to above the waist of her jeans. He paused there, looking up at her with a delicious wickedness in his eye as he worked the button through the hole, then pulled the zipper down.

"Yash," she breathed, and he smirked in return, pulling her pants and panties down her hips in one move, his face burying itself between her thighs.

Kagome startled awake, her heart racing so hard she could hear it in her ears.

What…

_WHAT?!_

She threw an arm over her face, groaning in annoyance. Had she really just...had a _sex dream_ about Inuyasha?! What was she...17 again?! What the hell was wrong with her?!

She ran her hands down her face, groaning again as images of her dream floated past her mind's eye. Images of him removing his shirt. His chiseled abdomen. His smirk. His black hair…

Huh.

Why the hell was he human?

That was a strange, subconscious image to have...He always used to be his grumpy, silver-haired, half-demon self. Maybe that wasn't the question to be asking herself right now. Or maybe it was...Or... _Ugh._ She didn't even know anymore.

Her body was hot and unfulfilled and now she was just a grumpy, irritated mess.

She rolled over in bed and grabbed her phone, waking it up to glance at the time. It was a quarter till five. She could stand to get up. Make him some coffee. Clear her mind.

Not that her mind was willing to be cleared.

A mechanical bull? Really?

Must have been because of ladies' night last week. It was the only explanation for it. And...maybe she should look at a calendar. It had almost been a month since she had spent the night with Inuyasha.

Wow.

A month, huh?

Her life sure had changed a lot in that month. They had gone from hardly even being able to spend time together in the same room to…

Sex dreams. Really, really, _really_ hot sex dreams.

She really hated herself sometimes.

She groaned and rolled out of bed slinking over to the bathroom to wash her face with cold water. Maybe that would help calm her nerves and her still _very_ heated blood. She could almost feel his hands on her bare shoulders, toying with the spaghetti straps of her tank top. Could almost feel his claws slice through the material, his lips kissing her neck—

— _What the actual fuck Kagome?!_

She was horny. Only explanation for it. The only reason she would be stooping so low as to check out her _ex-fiance_. Not that he _wasn't_ attractive. God...if that midnight swim had proven anything to her, it was that he was, and would probably always be, a _very_ attractive man. When he had stripped down to his boxer briefs...Slipped into the water with her…

She could still see each and every hard ridge of his body in her mind. Could feel the beads of water on his skin as she touched him. Feel his lips on hers as she kissed him...

She rinsed her face off and patted it dry with a soft, terry cloth towel.

She was _so_ fucked, wasn't she?

The man didn't want her anymore, and she stood zero chance in hell...And yet. Here she was. Imagining him as hers. Dreaming about him taking her. And on a bar table. _In front of other people_. When did she get so...so…

She heard the door to her mother's room open and Kagome popped her head out of the bathroom.

"Mama?"

"Kagome," she yawned, and Kagome couldn't help but smile.

"Mama, go back to sleep. I'm already up - there's no reason for you to be too. I'll make coffee and breakfast."

"What?" she blinked, Kagome's words slowly making their way through her head. "Oh! Sweetheart, no...that's ok...I wouldn't feel ri—"

"—It's ok Mama, really. I've got it."

"I…" her mother began, her eyes gradually clearing, and a small smile slowly spread across her lips. "Ok then, Sweetie. Tell Inuyasha I'll see him before he leaves."

"I will Mama," she promised, ducking back into the bathroom.

"You two have fun," her mother called as she turned around to go back to bed, and Kagome was determined to not let her face turn bright red. Nope. Instead, she was going to pick up her hairbrush, try to tame the mess that was her hair, and go make coffee.

She quickly gave up trying to make it look anywhere near nice, and decided to just pull it into a long, thick, fishtail braid. It...it actually looked pretty good. Huh. Well, since that already looked good, couldn't hurt to just put on a _little_ bit of lip gloss, right? Just a little. Something in a light pink to match her lips. Nothing too fancy.

She picked up her makeup bag and picked out one of her favorite tubes and quickly swiped it across her lips.

There.

That was nice. Yeah. She looked nice. And maybe she could curl her lashes. No mascara. Just...a light zhuzh. There was nothing wrong with wanting to give herself a light zhuzh. _And._ To be clear. She was doing it for _her_. Not...Not the half-demon who was going to be walking through the front door any minute.

 _Her_.

She nodded, pleased with herself as she gave herself another once over, smoothing her hands over her tank top and the _particularly_ short sleep shorts. Yeah. She looked good. She was pleased. Kagome flicked the light off in the bathroom and bounded down the stairs, wanting to get a start on that coffee before he showed up.

That took time, and he loved her coffee.

The thought brought a smile to her lips, and she filled the coffee maker with water before placing a new filter inside. She had just filled it and hit the start button when she saw a pair of headlights, and her heart jumped into her throat.

He was early.

She swallowed, suddenly nervous. It was a _weird_ nervousness too. Like she used to get around him when she was thirteen. Before they started dating. Like she was…

Her eyes widened in terror as her front door opened.

Oh my god.

She knew that a part of her wanted him again, but she was fucking _crushing_ on him! Oh, _fuck her_.

It was because of the last few weeks, wasn't it? Ever since that trip to look at lights with him, there had been something building between them. For her, at least. And she swore that it...might... _maybe_... _possibly_ not be one-sided?

But that was just wishful thinking, right?

The bigger issue was that she had a crush on him. She couldn't have a crush on him. Couldn't want him again. Couldn't... _she was leaving! They had broken up!_

She knew that she loved him...but...She had just assumed that she always would, and she had begun to make peace with that. But this...This she...

She just couldn't. It was going to end in a burning ball of fire.

"Mornin," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes with his palms, and she turned around to look at him as he greeted her.

Soft grey henley t-shirt that seemed to somehow accentuate every muscle in his upper body despite not clinging to him...Worn jeans. Boots. Hair pulled up into a bun on the top of his head.

She wanted to throw him down on the table and ride him until they both screamed.

Her eyes widened and her cheeks went bright red.

Yup.

She was horny alright.

And that was all she was allowed to be. Nothing else.

"Morning," she greeted, her voice perhaps a little _too_ chipper. "Just started the coffee, so it will be a minute. How are you?"

"Fine," he mumbled, coming to stand behind her as he pulled two mugs down from the cabinet. She could feel her face burn bright again - the feeling of his body behind hers nearly overwhelming her. He smelled of him and old spice, and she wanted to turn around and hug him. Feel how soft his shirt was under her hands...and how hard his back felt. "Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you…"

He pulled away from her, holding the coffee mugs, and she could see his eyes slowly awakening as his nose began twitching. She could feel her heart sink more and more with every little movement his nostrils made.

A smirk slowly spread across his face, and she stepped away from him, opening the fridge.

"So...Anything on your mind this wonderful morning, Kags?"

"Nope," she blushed harder, finding the eggs and pulling them out of the fridge.

"Really now?" he grinned cheekily, and she shoved the eggs into his chest.

"Yup," she confirmed, turning back around and poking her head into the fridge again to find some bacon.

"Liar," he snorted, and she ground her teeth together.

"I am not," she replied sharply, and his tongue kissed his teeth before he let out an all-knowing, "Uh-huh," peeving her to no end.

"Ya can tell me if something is... _bothering_ you, you know."

"Nothing is bothering me!" she replied in exasperation.

"Kagome...I have a nose…"

" _Well keep it to yourself!"_

"No way. Ma always told us kids to _share_...Why don't ya _share_ what's been on your mind?"

"Listen you ass hat," she ground out, not delighting in the way his eyes were dancing in amusement. Not even a _little_. "Do I make fun of you when you pop erections?"

"Ya used to!"

"Until I helped you out with them! You volunteering something buddy?" He opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off before he could say it. She wasn't sure she wanted to know. "Yeah. Didn't think so. So what are you planning on working on today?"

"Guess 'you' ain't the right answer?"

She smacked his chest before she put a pan on the stove turning it on.

"Watch it, or I'm making you fend for your own breakfast!"

"Sorry! Sorry...Couldn't help it," he grinned sheepishly. "Are you... _good,_ though?"

"Oh my god... _Inuyasha_ …"

"I'm just checking!"

" _Stop checking!"_

"Ok! Ok! I'll stop! I'll behave!"

"That's what you said last time," she grumbled, placing a strip of bacon into the pan.

"I'm dropping it, I swear. Scouts honor?"

"You were never a scout," she glared, and he sighed, dropping down into a chair at the table.

"Fine. I'm still dropping it though. I...Actually wanted ta talk ta ya about something? Well...guess it's a couple a somethings…"

"You did?" she pressed, raising her brow.

"Yeah...I…" he paused, sighing and she turned to look at him.

"Inuyasha? Is...everything...ok?"

"Yeah! Yeah. I...Just wanted to know if you would help me move the herd. Grass is starting to look pretty worn out where they are now. I'd appreciate the help and all, is all."

"Of course. God, you made it sound like it was a bigger thing than that," she smiled, her heart calming a little in her chest before his words clicked in her brain. "Wait - a couple of things? What's the rest?"

"I…" He paused, and she turned away from the pan to look at him.

"Yash?"

"I just...I…" he sighed, looking like whatever it was he was going to tell her...he couldn't do it. "The new moon is in a few days," he said, and she was under the impression that whatever was wrong...he wasn't ready to tell her yet.

Strange, but she wasn't going to push it…

That...also might have explained her dream.

Oh my god, what if it was a vision of the future?!

No...that would be crazy talk.

They were _never_ having sex in a public place in a crowded room.

Her eyes widened at the thought she had just had...because it hadn't been a "we will never have sex" thought. Which is what it _should_ have been, and she felt her cheeks burn bright red again.

"New moon, huh?" she said instead, grabbing one of the coffee cups as the coffee maker beeped and pulling the pot out. "You wouldn't be interested in some company for that, would you?" she teased - tried to tease - as she filled the first coffee cup.

The idea left her heart pounding in her throat.

Them. Alone. At their spot.

God, she really _was_ horny.

Not that they both hadn't established this already. Several times too many.

"Yeah...well...if you...wouldn't...mind?"

"Of course not, Yash," she smiled, placing his cup down in front of him. "It sounds nice! Why don't we make a thing of it? Go camping at our spot for a few days? You're looking stressed and tired, and I know I wouldn't mind getting away for a spell. What do you say?"

"Camping huh," he mused, raising his cup to his lips, taking a small sip. "Just the two of us out at the cliffs for the weekend?"

"Is that when the next new moon is?"

"Yeah. Friday. We...We could go out there that night? C-come back Sunday?"

Was he nervous?

He wouldn't meet her gaze, so he must have been a little...What did he have to be nervous about? Unless…

"Relax. I'm not going to jump your bones when we go if that's what you're freaking out over. I just...had a dream is all. I promise I won't molest you in your sleep or anything."

His eyes went wide and she filled the second cup of coffee for herself...and she _swore_ she heard him mumble, "Wouldn't stop ya if ya did," but that would have been crazy. _Insane_. It had to have been her hearing.

"Did you say something?"

"Just...that I think sounds nice. Us going, I mean," he rushed to clarify. "Your mom still have that big ol' tent? The one that she and your dad slept in?"

"Yup! You wanna share?"

"No reason not to," he shrugged as she pulled the bacon from the pan, cracking the eggs into it. "Less to pack. You handled the camping stuff, and I can handle everything else. If that's fine?"

"Yeah...makes sense...Think we can borrow your dad's truck to get everything over there? Or do you think I'm better off asking Ma?"

"We will figure it out," he reassured her, and she glanced from the pan. Her breath caught in her throat to see him so... _excited_. It had been years since she had seen him this happy and excited and she just...

It made her smile despite herself.

"Why don't we move the herd on Thursday then? So we can go into the weekend without that looming over us?"

"Sounds good. There should be a storm on Wednesday, so they probably ain't gonna budge then - aw hell...Maybe camping isn't a good idea…"

His smile turned down a little at the thought, and she waved his concerns off.

"We can pick up some sturdy tarps from the hardware store. Didn't you say that you needed some stuff for the house too?"

She'd find a way to make it work. She was determined now that she saw that look on his face. She wanted to bring it back and make him happy again.

"Yeah," he nodded, running his fingers through his bangs as she plated the bacon and eggs onto two different plates. "That could work. Can stop off at the liquor store—"

"—And grocery store," she nodded.

"Yeah. Just...A giant shopping trip inta town. Would you...Do you wanna do that with me? Go shopping for all of that stuff?"

"Don't see why not," she shrugged, grabbing a fork and placing one plate in front of him, and the other across from him.

"Then...it's a date," he smiled gently, before his eyes widened and his back stiffened. "I—I mean...It's not...I—"

"—Relax Yash. It's fine," she reassured, ignoring the way that made her heart pound in her chest. A date with Inuyasha..."I know what you mean. Don't get your panties twisted. Do you want toast?"

"I...Yeah. Sure," he replied, grinning weakly as she plucked a piece from the bag, popping it into the toaster. "You look nice today, by the way."

She paused and ran her fingers down her braid.

He noticed…

Not that it was for him! She absolutely hadn't done it for him!

But...still...He noticed...

"Thanks, Yash."

* * *

A/N: I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO SAY THAT I HAVE A RANT ABOUT GOOGLE CALENDARS ON TUMBLR AND I'M SORRY THIS IS LATE AND I HAD NO IDEA THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO GO U ON WEDNESDAY AND NO I AM CRYING INSIDE.

BUT.

Anyways.

Before we murder me about WHY DIDN'T INUYASHA TELL KAGOME THAT HE BROKE UP WITH KIKYO.

It's because he was scared, and he's not ready too. What would she think? What would she say? Would she call him an idiot for it? Would she be happy for him? She knows how hard he was trying to make it all work. And…Then…After they made the plans for the camping trip, that's when he decided he was going to tell her. It's just them for the weekend. No running. No hiding. He has 48 hours to pick his moment.

I just wanted to say that since THESE chapters are in either HIS pov or HERS. There will be a shift eventually…And hopefully it won't be a shitty one since I'm so used to writing in a single person's POV that I feel like I'm FLOUNDERING with a two person one now. I hated the decision to write in one or the other's POV since the start, but it's almost been a year now…and now I'm not sure I KNOW how to write two anymore…

This will be a ride guys…

Chapter 24 and 25 are out elsewhere…and I'm posting 26 tomorrow. I think. Hopefully. Apparently I lie a lot.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 24

"We do _not_ need two bags of marshmallows."

"Says you," Inuyasha snorted, dumping them into the cart anyway despite Kagome's protests. "You forget how many you can go through in a weekend."

"When we were kids! I have a figure to watch now!"

"...Watch it do what?"

She glared at him, unamused. "Hopefully do nothing. _Because we're putting the second bag back_."

"You're gonna regret it," he sang with a smirk, his eyes twinkling in delight. It was too easy to push her buttons sometimes, and he was clearly enjoying doing just that.

"Well then I'll regret it," she snapped, placing it back onto the shelf. Why had she agreed to do this again?

She should have just gone shopping for their camping trip alone, but _noooo_ …

Just had to go with the king of processed, sugar-coated, fried foods, didn't you, Kagome?

"We don't need this much junk food anyways...we should get some real food too. I mean...our cart represents every bachelor's eating habits...Ramen? And chips and salsa? When did that even get in there?!"

"When you were looking for the SkinnyPop...Which is junk food too ya know."

" _Healthy_ junk food!" she argued, turning around and making her way down the aisle. He just rolled his eyes when she turned back around and snuck the marshmallows back into the cart. She pretended not to notice. If he _really_ wanted a second bag of marshmallows - fine. He was going to be the one stuck taking them back home with him after. She wasn't going to help him pack it.

On principle alone.

"What do you actually want ta eat then, since ya don't want any of my junk food?"

"Something healthier than what's in the cart now."

"Helpful," he sighed. "Ain't this your thing? Knowing food?"

"...I don't really go camping in LA you know…"

"And ya didn't think about what ya wanted before we went shopping neither, did ya?"

"Well did you?"

He just gestured down at the cart and she groaned.

"No!"

"And why not," he whined, pushing the cart after her as she grabbed a few bars of chocolate.

"Because you need to eat things that aren't pretzels. And Poptarts."

"Says the woman who put three bars of chocolate into the cart!"

"A bar a night!"

"And you didn't want the extra bag of marshmallows," he scoffed, leaning onto the shopping cart's handle.

"And yet somehow it weaseled it's way back into the cart anyway," she replied knowingly, and he froze. "Yeah. I saw," she smirked, bending over to pick up a box of cinnamon graham crackers. She swore she could feel his eyes on her ass...but...She had to be imagining it. Yes...They had flirted the entire time. Yes...He had been placing lingering touches on her back or arms since they met up...Yes...They felt like they were an old married couple just walking around a Super Target...But that didn't mean that he was _actually_ checking out her ass right now! Or that his touches had meant anything!

Or that his flirtatious behavior meant anything…

She gave herself a mental shake and stood back up, smoothing her hair behind her ear.

"And you're gonna thank me for it later," he shot back, a deep blush staining his cheeks, before telling her to grab a box of the honey ones too.

"I don't need the honey graham crackers."

"Yes, ya do - they're your favorite ones."

"I like cinnamon ones just as much."

"Since when?" he snorted.

"Since I started using them in my cheesecake crust."

"Really? Ya used to hate cinnamon with chocolate."

"My taste changed," she shrugged, placing them into the cart, his still slightly pink cheeks not escaping her notice. He'd only be blushing if he really _had_ been checking out her ass!

But...Why would he do that when he was still dating Kikyo?

...And did he like what he saw?

The blush told her he must...at least a little...right?

"Anyways...Why don't we start getting real food? We can grab some fruit," she continued, trying to get her mind off of his reddened cheeks. "And eggs...Ooooh! And things for those sausage foil packets my dad used to make!"

"You're gonna run me ragged, ain't ya Higurashi?"

"Yes - but you love it," she winked, leading him over to the fruit. If she had thought that he was impossible before, it was nothing compared to when she was trying to pick out fruit.

"But we can make sangria!" She whined, dropping a few peaches into the cart despite his sputtering.

"Why do we need to make sangria! We can just have whisky!"

" _Again?"_

"Hey! What's wrong with whisky?" he demanded, crossing his arms over his chest as she darted across the way to grab some strawberries and raspberries.

"Nothing is _wrong_ with it...but...sangria is more…Hmm…" She pondered, watching him as he eyed a bunch of bananas. "It's more _fun_."

"Whisky ain't fun?" he replied, raising his brow as he picked up the bananas.

"Not as fun as _sangria…"_ she insisted. " _You_ want bananas? I thought you didn't like their texture."

"It's not that I don't like their texture," he smirked. "It's that I don't like them... _raw_."

Her brow furrowed in confusion as she tried to figure out what the hell that was supposed to mean.

"Wait—"

"—Hear me out—"

"—We do _not_ need to make those!"

"—We're already basically getting everything for 'em anyway! Sides - I thought you wanted me to eat healthier!"

"Excuse me for not wanting you to keel over and _die_ at 25!"

"Aw Kags...I didn't know you cared that much 'bout me!" he teased, his eyes glimmering with amusement under the fluorescent lighting. "'Sides - I bet it's been _years_ since ya had them."

Because the last time she had them...Her dad was making them. On the last camping trip they ever took together.

She couldn't stop the flashbacks to their childhood. To when they used to do this together. Both of their families gathering for the weekend to escape the world for a minute. Her dad would take bananas and split them in half, sandwiching chunks of graham crackers and chocolate and marshmallows between the slices before cooking them.

They were _so_ good too.

The chocolate would get all warm and oozy and the bananas and marshmallows would get all delicious and gooey...They were some of her fondest memories, frankly. She could almost hear her father's laugh as he wrapped them in tinfoil, telling them to give him a few minutes before they could eat them. He had to keep her prying hands away from all the chocolate and sneaking a few marshmallows...And then once they were cooked they—

"Kagome?" he pressed softly, putting the bananas back, drawing her attention back to him. "Hey, we don't have ta get them," he reassured her, and she shook her head.

"No! Grab them. I always loved his banana boats. You're right. We can make them with everything in the cart already."

"Are you sure," he pressed, picking them up again. "'Cause we don't hafta."

"Do it," she nodded, swallowing thickly. She didn't want to think about the past right now. She wanted to think about the sun on her skin...the fresh air in her lungs...the crystal clear lake…

Oh _fuck_. If she wanted to go swimming, she would need another swimsuit! She only had one with her, and she didn't think she could wear it twice…It wouldn't dry in time.

"Hey, can you go ahead and get some of the stuff without me? I just realized that I need another swimsuit."

"...You do?"

"Well...I only have one. The ones that I have left from high school probably won't look too good anymore."

She thought she heard him mumble, "I'm not so sure about that," but it was too quiet for her to really make out.

"What?"

"I said I'll keep going. I'll look for ya in the women's shit if I finish early - ya sure you trust me on my own?"

"I don't think I have much of a choice - it's not like watching me try on swimsuits is going to be all that fun."

"...Ya sure about that?"

She snorted, trying to wave off his comment as a joke and nothing more, and ignore the way it made her palms all tingly.

 _"Go,"_ she insisted, leaving him alone and to his own devices. It probably wasn't too wise...but...She also had other problems to deal with. She was sure he could handle it just fine without her.

She really didn't know if him coming to watch her try on swimsuits was the best idea in the world anyway. For either of them. They might be in a Super Target, but people from home shopped here all the time. That was the last thing either of them needed. Someone seeing them and then reporting back to Kikyo and then it would just be a giant problem and…

She internally sighed and shook her head. It wasn't wise to ponder these things.

It wasn't going to do anything other than hurt her, and it was just helping remind her that she had given up something amazing because she hadn't been well. She needed to just focus on finding a swimsuit.

Which, now that she thought about it, she realized that she had a bit of a problem. She wasn't sure what kind of "look" she wanted to go for. Something more reserved and modest? Like a one piece? Or something a bit more risque because she would be using it back in California too? She already had a string bikini with her so she could keep her Californian complexion. Maybe getting another one would be sending out signals she shouldn't be sending out…

But as she aimlessly walked through the swimsuit aisle, passively looking at the different choices, she started wondering what signals she _was_ putting out, if any.

She...She still had feelings for him. But if they acted on those feelings…

Well…

She wasn't sure what tomorrow would bring, but...She wasn't opposed to acting on them either. But, he was still with Kikyo. And she didn't want to do anything that would put a strain on their relationship. She really did want him to be happy, above all else, and, well...if Kikyo was it…

She was getting sidetracked now.

Maybe she should go with a one-piece?

But...Ok. If she were at a pool with a bunch of friends, she wouldn't be wearing a one piece. So why should she change? There were other options. It wasn't like string bikinis and one-pieces were the only options for her. There were high waisted bottoms with flounce tops too, for example.

Kagome internally groaned at herself. She was making this _way_ too complicated.

She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands, trying to refocus as she turned around. When she removed her palms, she was staring at the sunglasses and jewelry carousels, and well...Fuck it! It couldn't hurt to take a peek while she was still trying to figure out what the hell to do…

Not that she needed new sunglasses. Or more jewelry...but still. She could absently turn the jewelry carousel around, and passively run her fingers across all the sparkly trinkets as she thought. Nothing truly caught her eye though, which was good. She didn't need more costume jewelry that would turn her skin green in a few weeks and tarnish.

She sighed and mentally refocused herself.

Maybe a one-piece would be fine. It wasn't like they all looked like you were a nun if you wore them. Some of the cuts were modest enough, but she also wouldn't worry about feeling like a prude in it back home.

And wasn't that what she was—

She stopped spinning the carousel, blinking at the necklace she just found.

She didn't think it was for women. Frankly, she didn't think it belonged in this section at all. It must have been randomly abandoned here...but she liked it.

It had a single white fang with one large, round onyx bead on either side of it, all strung on a black waxy cord. Her fingers skimmed the charm, thinking of a certain someone's cheeky, fangy smile. She didn't know what possessed her, but she took it off the carousel and bought it, hiding it in her purse before he could find out what she had done and why.

* * *

"Kags, you in there?"

Inuyasha's voice carried into the dressing room as she slipped into a cobalt blue swimsuit. It _was_ a one-piece because she decided that, all things considered, it would be the most considerate thing to do. But...she thought that it was _adorable_ and she could still get away with wearing this to a pool party in California. Plus, she wouldn't need to apply as much sunscreen as she would in a bikini. Pair it with a cute wide brim hat and the right cover-up and—

"Kags?"

"Yeah! Sorry! Just trying one on," she called out. "I think I'm gonna get it - care to weigh in?"

There was a long, pregnant pause before a nervous yet hopeful, "You want me to?" filtered into the dressing room.

"You don't have to if you don't want t—"

"—I don't mind!"

Did he sound a little eager? Or was she just imagining that because that's what she _wanted_ to hear?

"Ok - gimmie a sec…" She called back out, running her hands down the suit again. The material was silkier than normal, and she loved it. It made it feel more elegant somehow. Perhaps even more upscale? Either way, she was into it and she really did think she looked amazing...But...Well...Who knew?

She slipped her flip flops back on and left the dressing room, finding him leaning over the handlebar of the cart. He was trying to look casual by concentrating on his phone...But he was scrolling a little too fast to be browsing Insta or Facebook. It also didn't help that his ears were stock still, trained on the dressing room entrance.

"Well?" she prompted, smoothing her hands back down the soft fabric of the one-piece.

He slowly looked up at the sound of her voice, and his eyes widened as he took her in. She watched as they traced the lines of the deep 'V' neckline, taking in the sides of her breasts. Watched as they roved over her curves and the contrast of the cobalt against her skin. How the tied belt drew his eyes to her hips. Watched as his jaw dropped a little, his lips parting ever so slightly.

"What do you think?" she asked, moving her loose wavy hair to the side as she turned around for him. The sound of his phone clattering to the polished concrete floor, slipping from his loosened grip, made her smile.

Yeah.

He liked it.

"Fuck!" he swore, swooping down to pick it up, his cheeks flushing sweetly in embarrassment.

"Is it ok?" she asked, coming over to look at it, and he sighed in frustration.

"Yeah...cracked the screen protector I think, but the phone is fine."

She took it from him and ran her thumb across it, trying to see for herself if it really _was_ just the screen protector...And she noticed that his eyes were being drawn back to the 'V' neckline of the suit.

Again.

The way he was looking at her...It made her skin tingle and raise and pucker into gooseflesh. She felt hyper-aware of him and his attention.

"You're lucky," she swallowed, trying to ignore the way he was eyeing her, but it was so hard. She could feel his eyes roaming over the valley between her breasts, and she wanted to know what was going on in that head of his! "You didn't break it."

"Yeah...Got clumsy."

"Mmm…Do you need a new screen protector? While we're here?"

She handed the phone back to him and he slipped it into his back pocket.

"Nah. I have a spare at home. Just gotta dig it out. It's annoying but not a biggie."

"Ok then," she smiled back, stepping away from him. "So? What do you think? Do you like it? Think I should get it? I figured it would look good back in LA too."

She watched him swallow again, the slight bump of his adam's apple bobbing while he nodded - his eyes tracing every inch of her body once more.

"Yeah. I think it's good. Did you have any others you were considering?"

Was he hopeful? Trying to get a show perhaps?

Strange since he was _dating someone._

Something she had to keep reminding herself of repeatedly this trip since his behavior was _so_ abnormal...

"I think I like this one the most," she decided, turning to look at herself in a mirror just inside the entrance. "I like the color...Fit isn't too bad…"

"I'll say," he mumbled, leaning back down onto the cart handles, and that time she _knew_ she hadn't imagined it.

There was no doubt in her mind...except for the little voice screaming _"WHY IS HE ACTING LIKE THIS?"_. She just...didn't get it. And it was confusing and frustrating as hell and…

She needed to get her head on and change so they could get out of here.

Then they could finish up their trip and she could over-analyze all of his interactions with her when they got home. From the safety of her bedroom. Like a normal adult.

Yeah.

Because _normal_ adults _totally_ went on weekend camping trips with their _ex-fiances._

 _No_.

She wasn't going to think about that either.

"I'm gonna go change then and get this one. I'm proud of you by the way," she smirked, pointing at the cart. "You actually got some real food."

"Hey! I said I would!"

She waved him off, disappearing into the changing room as her laughter echoed off the thin walls around her.

* * *

"It will go faster if we divide and conquer," she tried to reason as they loaded the groceries into the back of the truck. "I can easily walk to the liquor store once we get to the hardware store. Besides...do you really need me to go with you?"

"Well…"

"That's a no," she giggled, and he smiled sheepishly at her.

"Ok. No. I don't _need_ you. But I can still _want_ you to, right?"

"Mmm," she nodded, pushing the cart back into the corral next to the truck. "But we have the food now and we don't want it to go bad…"

"Told ya we should have done this last…"

"Yeah but this was going to take the most time so I wanted to do it first."

"But it didn't make logistical sense…"

"And now I think you're just complaining because you don't want to go by yourself," she laughed, hopping into the passenger's side of the truck.

"It's not that I don't want to go by myself…It's that I like shopping with another person more."

"So you don't want to go by yourself," she teased, turning on the radio as he started up the truck, buckling in.

"Stop trying ta logic me, woman…"

"But why would I when it's so much fun?" she teased, and he rolled his eyes, absently placing his hand on her knee cap as he turned around, reversing the truck out of the parking spot. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down at his tan hand, his claws gently resting against her skin.

She didn't know what to do...Didn't know if she should say something or move his hand or—

He removed it, placing it back onto the wheel as he turned his attention back to the road and exiting the parking lot. She was trying to not pay it much attention...write it off as nothing. An unintentional slip-up or habit or gesture…Perhaps it was just because he had turned around physically to back out of the spot?

...But her skin wouldn't stop _singing_. It wouldn't stop _burning_.

It plagued her all the way to the hardware store, and even as she aimlessly entered the liquor store, all she could think about was _him_. The way he was acting. Behaving. It was just so…

She heard the bells chime as someone else entered the store, and she looked up from the wine she was absently contemplating, turning to the door out of habit. She wished she hadn't.

"Oh hell…"

Kagome winced at Kikyo, trying to not let the words the woman uttered bother her, but she couldn't blame Kikyo for having that reaction when she saw her too. If she were Kikyo, she probably wouldn't want to see herself either. Kagome knew she hadn't been all that nice to her the last time they had seen each other...She had not only insulted the woman's relationship with Inuyasha, but had also all but mocked it by insinuating that they simply weren't serious.

She had been rude and mean to her, and ultimately the woman didn't feel like she could stick around for the rest of the night, and had ended her date with Inuyasha early. A date which they had _crashed_.

She didn't feel right about that.

She should make amends with her. For Inuyasha's sake, if nothing else. She might not like Kikyo, but for Inuyasha...She would do it.

"Kikyo," Kagome waved nervously, picking up a bottle of white wine at random and adding it to her basket with the whiskey and beer she had already grabbed. "Hi."

"Kagome," Kikyo nodded, looking like she desperately wanted to get away from her.

"Listen," Kagome began, walking over to her, and the closer she got, the clearer the dark circles under Kikyo's eyes became. The puffiness around her eyes. The slight, red tint to her nose. Had...Had Kikyo been crying? Oh god, had _she_ done that to her?! Oh fuck…

"Kagome—"

"—I'm sorry."

Kikyo's breath audibly caught in her throat, and Kagome winced at the look of surprise on her face.

"Y-you're sorry?" she breathed, and Kagome nodded.

"Yeah. For what I said the last time we saw each other. It...Wasn't right of me. I was just...upset and I took it out on you. Inuyasha and I...well...We've been trying to mend bridges since I've been back, and hearing you question our friendship...I just...I took my insecurities out on you, and I shouldn't have."

"Your insecurities…"

"Yeah. Look...I…I don't want to get in the way of what you and Inuyasha have, and...it...wasn't...W-what?"

Kikyo was laughing, and she was befuddled. What the hell had she said that was so damn funny? She was trying to apologize and make amends, and was trying her best to extend a fucking olive branch, and here was Kikyo...Shoulders trembling, hand clasped over her mouth, tears rolling down her cheeks, _laughing_ at her apology.

What...the actual...fuck…

"What's so funny, Kikyo," Kagome asked, her voice strained, and Kikyo's head rolled back, her eyes pinched shut as she grabbed her abdomen. Her whole body was shaking, and they had earned a few curious glances from other patrons within the store, making Kagome that much more nervous.

"Never mind," Kagome sighed, shaking her head and walking to the cash register, handing the clerk her bottles.

"You don't know."

Kikyo's voice drew her attention back to the entrance of the store, and there was something about the woman that was setting Kagome on edge. Maybe it was her posture with her arms crossed under her breasts, her legs spread apart into a wide stance like she was preparing for a showdown of some sort...Or maybe it was the look in her eyes that unsettled Kagome. It was…

Not quite malicious or vindictive...but there was a spark in there that told her that Kikyo was in pain, and she was hurt...And she was about to lash out at her, like a viper lying in wait.

"I don't know what?" Kagome replied, reaching into her purse and handing the clerk her ID, and fishing out her credit card. She had a feeling that she wanted to get out of here.

"You have no idea…" Kikyo whispered in awe. She was genuinely stunned that she seemed to know something that Kagome didn't, and it was starting to grate on her nerves.

"No, Kikyo. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about the fact that you're not so sweet and innocent, Kagome. You play the role nicely though, I'll give you that. 'I don't want to get in the way of what you and Inuyasha have'...God...Do you _hear_ yourself? Do you _really_ believe that _bullshit_?"

"Kikyo—"

"—Damn. You do. You are so _fucking_ clueless."

Kagome shakily turned her attention back to the clerk, ignoring the way he was watching the showdown between them with rapt attention and she placed her credit card into the card reader, silently begging it to work faster.

_"Look at me, Kagome."_

Kagome turned around in surprise and watched as Kikyo strode across the store to stand directly in front of her, and Kagome gripped the side of the counter as the irate woman invaded her personal space.

"I want to see the look on your face when I tell you this since he _clearly_ hasn't. Inuyasha and I _broke up_."

Were her ears ringing? Because she swore she could hear a ringing that she hadn't heard before in them.

"W-what?"

_"We. Broke. Up."_

Her hand slipped from the counter, but Kikyo's eyes didn't leave her face. It was like she was feeding off of Kagome's shock. The way she was suddenly light-headed and her world began to spin.

"You…When…"

"The other night. At the bar."

"W-wha…"

"Wha, wha, wha, what, Kagome?" Kikyo ground out. "You really couldn't see this coming? You really think I'm that stupid? You really think that I believe that you're trying to work on mending your _friendship_ with him?" she demanded, her voice cracking and slowly becoming quieter with each syllable. "He was mine, Kagome. I have wanted him for years. I finally had a chance with him...But you've never liked me, have you? You couldn't even let me have your _scraps_ after you _threw him away_ like he was _nothing._ You _abandoned him_ and left him _broken_. And now that he isn't...Now that he _really_ started to move on from you and everyone else, you just couldn't leave well enough alone…"

"It's not like that—"

"—Isn't it?"

"You think I don't want him to be happy? He's my _best friend_ Kikyo!" She screeched, ripping her card from the card reader as it started to angrily beep at her. "Why the hell do you think I helped him make you dinner!"

"So you could weasel your way between us, and it _worked!"_

"I did it to help him because he wanted to make _you happy._ "

"Yeah - because he canceled on me to spend more time with _you_."

"And I didn't ask him to do that!"

"It doesn't matter what you do or don't ask him to do - _it's you!_ He would do _anything_ for you! You don't need to ask!"

"Well, the same goes for me!"

The crowd of onlookers had closed in around them, and Kagome felt herself shaking - barely holding it together.

"Kagome? Kikyo?"

She nearly snapped, whirling on the man who had just said her name, until she took in Hojo's concerned expression. She hadn't even realized that he was here, honestly. But that shouldn't have been a surprise. She hadn't really taken the time to identify the crowd. She just...She just wanted to leave and go home and scream and yell and ask Inuyasha why the _hell_ he hadn't told her _any_ of this.

She didn't get it...And she couldn't believe that it was true…

"Hojo," she replied crisply, fumbling with her purse and wallet as her shaky hands tried to slide her card back into its slot.

"You ladies...Ok?"

No, Hojo. They clearly _weren't_.

"Everything is fine, Hojo…"

"No. It's not." Kikyo snapped, and Kagome shook her head, finally getting the card back into her wallet and tucked away into her purse, next to the necklace she had bought Inuyasha.

"No...they aren't," she conceded. "Kikyo...I don't know why you and Inuyasha broke up, but it had nothing to do with me."

"That's not what he said."

That made her freeze.

"He...What?"

"I'm surprised he hasn't made a move on you yet, since he ended things for you."

He ended things for her?

Her mind was still playing catch up while Kikyo's was rounding corners and coming in for sneak attacks.

"Have you kissed him?"

_"What?"_

"You heard me, Kagome. Don't pretend you didn't…"

"And are you _hearing_ yourself? Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?"

"That's not a no."

"It's an 'I'm not dignifying that with a response'!"

Because...She had. They had. Maybe not within the last two weeks…

But if she closed her eyes, she could still feel his lips pressed to hers that night at the lake. Taste the water on his skin from when she had kissed him. _She. Kagome_. She still didn't know what the fuck she was thinking when she had done it, other than it had felt right.

Oh god…

She _was_ telling Inuyasha to do this, wasn't she? She was giving him all these signals that she wanted him and now he had gone and wrecked _everything_ and—

"Ladies...maybe you should take a step back from this..."

"No. There's no need for that, Hojo. I'm leaving. She got what she wanted...and I...I won't begrudge you for doing whatever the fuck _this_ was, but I want to make something _clear_. I'm going back to California, so whatever the hell Inuyasha did...It _wasn't_ for me, and he knows that."

She picked up the bag of alcohol on the counter, holding her head as high as she could, and walked towards the exit.

"I hate you, Kagome Higurashi. I wish you never came back!"

She paused with her hand on the door, and turned to look at Kikyo.

"And I pity you, Kikyo...Waiting years to make a move on a man? You should have just taken what you wanted long before now."

She pushed through the door, trying to forget the last however long that was and just find the truck...but she felt like vomiting. She was shaking and light-headed and it was hard to focus on anything. Her stomach felt like it was in literal knots as she tried to walk down the street, and after what felt like an eternity, she saw the hardware store come into view just as Inuyasha left it, his supplies in hand.

"Hey! I was just about ta come 'n' get ya!" he greeted chipperly, heading over to the truck and tossing them into the flatbed.

"Good timing," she mumbled, approaching him.

Oh god, she felt so _sick_.

"I'll say so—Hey...Kags?"

His nostrils were rapidly flaring and twitching, meaning he was picking up that she was _not_ ok.

And she wasn't.

"Here," she grunted, pushing the bag of alcohol into his chest before lurching forward to the trashcan a few yards away. Her back curled as she gripped the sides, her abdomen trembling as she heaved and emptied the contents of her stomach into the bin below.

"Shit...Kags…" he swore, carefully putting the bag down before rushing over to her and pulling her hair away from her face, tenderly rubbing her back as she continued to wretch into the trash can. "Kagome...What the hell happened…"

"F-food p-poisoning," she lied. She knew he knew it was a lie, but frankly, she didn't care right then.

She wouldn't be the only one keeping things from the other.

When she was able to finally take deep calming breaths, he handed her the keys to the truck and told her to get inside if she felt like she could, and she jerkily nodded her head. She wanted to get off the street too. She was sure the rumor mill was already spreading what had happened like wildfire.

People were going to be gobbling this up for days.

He disappeared to go back into the hardware store and returned a moment later with a bottle of Sprite.

"They didn't have water," he smiled sheepishly, twisting the cap off for her. "Here. It'll still help get the taste out."

"Thanks," she whispered hoarsely.

"Of course," he replied softly, watching her take the bottle and sip from it. "You feeling any better?"

"No?" she laughed dryly. She didn't think she would feel better until she had a fucking explanation. "I feel better than I was, though."

"That's all that matters," he murmured, reaching over to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Can you...Take me home now, Yash?"

"Yeah...course…" he whispered, concern etched into the lines of his face. She knew he wanted to know what was going on, but she just…

She couldn't right now.

She still felt like vomiting again...Because if what Kikyo had said was true - and after the vehemence in that confrontation, she had every reason to believe it was - then she may have just ruined his life.

And she wasn't sure she could handle that right now.

* * *

A/N:

OH MY GOD I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! 300 REVIEWS ON FFN, AND OVER 400 HERE. EXCUSE ME AS I SOB. I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE WE WERE THAT CLOSE BUT HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER YOU GUYS ARE ALL AMAZING AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!! Excuse me as I sob from joy. 

You guys just...You make me so happy...And I hope this story makes you happy too!

Also.

GUESS WHAT THE NEXT CHAPTER IS GUYS?!!?!? GUESS!!!! 

Or don't. And you can read 25, 26, (and hopefully 27 tomorrow at the latest) somewhere else! Details are posted on my tumblr (lemonlushff). And you can also catch bunch of quotes from upcoming chapters there too! I know how I'm spending the rest of the night. Hint - it's posting quotes from chapter 27 as I edit it. Because that's how I survive editing. DON'T JUDGE ME!!!

SPECIAL THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED! I read all of them and they make me smile and make my day. YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING! And yes I'm behind here in replying, BUT I SWEAR I'M GONNA!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME!!

-LL


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 25

Moving the herd was the last thing Kagome wanted to do today. She just...This was the first time she had done this since her father had passed. Her mother and Souta had gone out with Inuyasha all the other times this trip home, and before now...Well...They used to have a bit of a crew, so she just wasn't needed.

Today, she wasn't so lucky.

Today was the day she moved the herd for the first time in seven years.

When she was a kid, it had been a big deal the first time she had done it. It was like her father finally trusted her with this great, big, enormous responsibility. He trusted her to be a part of the team. To listen and watch and act. To follow his lead but also pay attention to the needs of the herd.

It was the day she knew she had his trust, which had meant the world to her.

If she closed her eyes, she could almost hear the deep timbre of his voice telling her what to do and when. She could almost see the blue of his baseball cap bouncing as he road through the field. If she closed her eyes...She could almost feel his arms wrapping around her shoulders, telling her how proud he was of her.

But that was impossible. All of it.

Because he was gone and he wasn't coming back, and thinking those things...It was stupid.

Especially since she was still dealing with everything from yesterday.

She gave herself a mental shake and tried to refocus on the world around her. Kagome squinted up at the sky as she followed Inuyasha on Spirit, her buckskin stallion. She had been obsessed with the movie as a child, and when they had gotten him...well...With that tawny body and ashen stockings, there hadn't even been a question in her mind what she wanted to name him.

Spirit.

He had the right fucking temporment for it too when he was younger. They hadn't known it at the time though...But sometimes, if she were being honest, she almost wished they had turned him into a gelding. He would have been easier to manage. But it was a little late for that, and when Bessie was around he seemed content to allow her to lead.

If he were a human, she would have called him an ass man.

She internally snorted at herself, keeping an eye on the sky. It looked like it was going to rain, which they had known before, of course…

That was one of the many reasons why they had gone into town. Because they anticipated rain. But they hadn't expected the sky to look like it was on the verge of pouring all day, which meant that they might not even _move_ to begin with.

Still, she was grateful that they were trying anyway. She needed the distraction so she wouldn't keep reliving that fight in the liquor store with Kikyo, even if it _was_ this. She was still shaking from it. She just…

"You keeping up ok?" Inuyasha called, turning around to look at her.

He looked so good today.

He was wearing a plain white, fitted, henley t-shirt with jeans and boots. His hair had been pulled into a bun at the base of his neck, under the wide brim of his grandfather's cowboy hat...and he hadn't shaved. She didn't know what it was, but...She meant it. She liked him both ways. All rough and rugged and "manly" and also all nice and smooth and clean shaven.

He was the most attractive man she had ever met - but then again...

Inuyasha would never be unattractive to her.

And watching him in front of her...seeing the way his upper body twisted so he could look back at her...watching the way his shirt bunched and his dark brow raised in concern...Looking at the way his whole silhouette was perfectly framed by the darkening sky and the cattle around in the distance ahead…

She wanted to remember this moment forever. The beauty of the man before her.

Even if he was driving her fucking crazy and she had no idea why the _hell_ he was imploding his life!

They hadn't spoken about it yet. She had been quiet all morning so far, and she knew that was part of the reason why he was checking in on her. Not just because Spirit could be difficult, but also because she hadn't been her normal chipper self.

She had been reserved and quiet. Hadn't tried to strike up a conversation like she normally would, content to just listen to Souta and Inuyasha talk. Probably because she just…

She didn't _get_ it. What Kikyo said had to have been a lie.

It _had_ to. Because if Inuyasha broke up with Kikyo to be with _her…_

It would be wonderful and amazing and he would have to be crazy.

She wanted him. God, she hadn't realized just how much she still wanted him...And frankly, she wasn't sure if she had ever stopped. But...She didn't know how they could work. He had made it clear before - his life was here. Her life was back in LA. Where did long distance really leave them?

That's right.

It didn't.

Because ultimately, someone would _have_ to give.

But regardless...If it hadn't been a lie…

It would mean that she hadn't been crazy the day before. He really _had_ been checking her out. Had been making slightly suggestive comments under his breath. Had been teasing her and flirting with her...touching her knee or her back or her shoulders because…

...Because he was interested.

He wanted her.

And that idea made her head spin.

She had closed the door on the idea of "them" years ago. She had moved past it as best she could. Found other boyfriends...had a taste of life without him…

She wondered what tasting life with him would be like now as adults.

How much sweeter it could be with him by her side.

But she couldn't.

And she couldn't let him ruin his life. He had been so sure about Kikyo. Had wanted to give them a chance so badly…

She needed to know what the hell had changed, and if she had really been the cause of their break up.

"Yeah," she called back. "We're doing ok back here."

"Ya sure? Wouldn't kill ya ta ride _beside_ me."

"I told you - Spirit won't do it. He likes the view too much."

"Shoulda made him a gelding," he smirked.

"Shoulda made _you_ a gelding," she countered, and he paled a little at the thought.

"Nah. That's ok. I need mine still."

"Do you now…"

His back straightened and he blinked at the chill in her voice.

"Fuck Kags...Something crawl up your ass?"

Yeah. His ex.

She was fucking with her brain. Making her question everything.

Making her question if Kikyo was telling her the truth and Inuyasha was hiding this big, huge thing that had happened to him…

...Or if Kikyo was fucking with her because she could. Because Inuyasha did break up with her, and Kikyo wanted to blame someone. So she picked her.

The ex.

His best friend.

The woman spending days and nights with him.

The woman who…

…Who had kissed him.

She never should have done that. She never should have given into temptation. It just…

It had felt so _right_ in the moment. The two of them. In their spot. In each other's arms...Their bodies pressed together…

She lost control. She gave in. And now he and Kikyo were done.

So yeah. Something had crawled up her ass because between Kikyo and thinking about her dad...Well...Today was just going to be a hell of a day.

"No," she lied, watching as his brow furrowed. "Everything is fine."

"Kagome...I…" he sighed and shook his head, deciding against whatever he was going to say, and shot Souta a concerned look.

"What's that look for?"

"N-nothing!" he brother replied, holding his hand up in silent surrender. "Just wanna get there before it starts raining, if we can. I still feel like this mighta been pointless. They aren't going to budge."

"You don't know that," Inuyasha sighed, adjusting his grip on Bessie's reins.

"Don't we?" he countered, raising his brow at Inuyasha. "They're just going to be laying there, refusing to move."

"Well...They are, we can say we tried. And then we can turn around 'n' go back and try again after our camping trip. 'Sides. Gotta treat that calf for pink eye before it gets bad. "

"Are you guys looking forward to your trip?"

Three days alone with a newly single Inuyasha. It was a dream come true and an utter nightmare.

Well.

Nearly three days.

That sounded a bit better.

Less time alone together meant less time to possibly get into trouble.

"Yeah, I think it will be fun. Just forget about everything for a few days...Kagome was right. I think I could use that right now."

What else was she right about, she wondered.

"Kags?"

"Yeah - it will be fun."

"Wow, talk about enthusiasm," her brother replied dryly, and she rolled her eyes.

"I'm sorry that wasn't _enthusiastic_ enough for you."

Inuyasha glanced back at her in clear concern before turning to Souta and telling him to go on ahead.

"See if you can get them standing, if ya can."

"I'd have a better chance at getting Rachel Cooper to go out with me," Souta mumbled under his breath, and Inuyasha grinned cheekily at him.

"Won't know 'till ya try. Off with ya Squirt."

"When are you gonna stop calling me that," he sighed, making Inuyasha laugh.

"When you're taller."

"That's what you always say."

"That's 'cause I'll do it when you're taller. Off with ya," he encouraged, and Souta took off leaving the two of them alone.

Which was just what Inuyasha wanted.

And the three of them knew it.

"Kags—"

"—I promise I'm fine," she hastily reassured before he could even ask.

"Ya ain't. It's bullshit and we know it. Come on...out with it," he tried again, his voice as soft as his eyes. "You can tell me. You know you can."

She couldn't. Not this time...and her silence only made him more uneasy.

"Is it...Your dad?"

She was surprised he would even think of that...But she shouldn't have been.

"I know it's the first time you've done this...since...well…" he trailed off uneasily, slowing Bessie until they were riding side by side. It might have been faster if they had walked, given the pace he set. She supposed he was trying to put more room between them and Souta.

"It is strange," she confessed after a moment, and he reached out to take her hand. "I mean, I know it's not like I expect to see him out there or anything," she continued with a hallow chuckle, "but I do remember the way he could take charge of a situation.

The way he would make sure all of the mothers and calves were paired up before we moved them...and how he would stay behind to make sure we had everyone before joining us as we lead them to the next pasture. I always wanted him to give me that responsibility but…Can you just imagine me trying to wrangle a calf onto Spirit the way you can?"

"With those chicken wings?" he teased with a wink, and it was hard to describe the feeling in her chest when he did it. It was a thousand different things...ranging from a fluttering to utter devastation to annoyance.

"Yeah," she whispered, and she felt his thumb rub her knuckles.

She knew that he was just trying to comfort her. Was trying to give her support and lend an ear and she appreciated it, but it also made her feel guilty.

And angrier and more upset. Which was crazy but…

She was allowed to be confused and angry, ok? This was hard! All of it was hard! And She just...She couldn't fix what had happened with her dad, but she could do something about Inuyasha, and that wasn't nothing. She didn't understand what the hell he was thinking and why he was hiding it from her and she just…

She needed to know why the hell he did it, and why he wasn't telling her. She needed to know what the hell was going on.

She didn't want to cause him more pain. She couldn't hurt him again. Even if she wanted him...And god, did she want him. She wanted to hold him and kiss him and breath in the musk of his old spice. Wanted to hear that soft, soothing voice he used for her and only her. The one that told her she was special and precious and loved and…

...And just thinking about it made her heart ache even more.

Between last night and doing this today without her dad she just…

She wished they could go home. Especially since it was going to be nearly pointless.

"Hey, let's get a move on and catch up to Souta. I want to get this over with and not get caught in the storm. It looks like it's going to be bad."

Inuyasha nodded his head and urged Bessie into a solid gallop, surging ahead of her, and she wanted to smack herself upside the head.

Fuck.

Spirit wasn't the only one who had a thing for asses.

And noticing that wasn't helping.

At all.

* * *

"Shit," Souta swore, running his fingers through his hair. It looked like the sky was about to split open and let loose a torrential downpour the likes of which no one wanted to be caught in. And, as predicted...the cows were refusing to move.

Perfect.

Just perfect.

"I'll say," she mumbled, eyeing the sky. Even if they couldn't get the cows to move, they still had the calf they had to treat for pink eye.

Which, apparently, wasn't a three person job.

"Get outta here Squirt," Inuyasha encouraged, waving off Souta. You don't need to be here for this. Might as well get home before we get caught in a mess."

"You need the hands though," he shook his head. "Kagome hasn't done something like this in... _years_."

"Thanks," she grumbled, and Inuyasha shot her another concerned look.

"Nah. We will be fine. I'm here, ain't I? I can show her the ropes. Do the hard part. Why don't you go call that girl? Ask her out."

Souta's sputtering was almost comical.

"I...No...What? Why…"

"Because I dare ya," he smirked. "Besides...what do you have to lose? You get a no, you can move on and set your sights on someone else. She says yes...It could be the start of something wonderful," he smiled softly, pointedly avoiding looking at her. It didn't stop her mouth from going dry and her heart from aching a little as memories of their past flooded her mind.

Memories that only made all of this that much harder.

"Ya can't fill your life with regrets. If you do it, you'll know. One way or another. And then you'll be able to move forward. One way or another. I remember what it's like to be young and in love, ya know…"

She was trying _really_ hard to ignore all of this. _Really_ hard. But, the truth was, she remembered too. She could recall the way he asked her out in perfect detail. Remembered every second of falling in love with him. Remembered every second she spent thinking about him.

It...It was magical. And as much as his advice was affecting _her_ , she also knew that her brother needed to hear it too.

"It's better to give it a go and have something wonderful than to always wonder."

"Inuyasha," Souta groaned, but he wasn't having it.

"I double dog dare ya."

"Does that still count if it's coming from you?"

_"Go."_

"Alright, alright...You two wanna get caught in the middle of this, that's on you," he replied, hopping back onto his horse. "I'll see you back at the house."

"And I better hear that you asked her out!" Inuyasha called as Souta turned around, flipping him off.

Inuyasha only laughed and shook his head.

"Shall we?" he asked, his eyes still dancing in amusement.

"Yeah," she nodded, watching as he pulled out an already filled syringe and bottle of eye powder from the saddle bag on Bessie.

"Take em for me? I'm gonna ask ya to hand them back once I getter on her side."

"Ok," she nodded as he grabbed the lasso, sniffing the air.

"This way," he directed with the tilt of his head, carefully picking his way through the pasture and around laying cows.

"Must be easy to find her with your nose," she commented passively, trying to make small talk. She knew it was stupid. The look he shot her said he thought the same thing, but he humored her nonetheless.

"Yeah. Just caught it the other day. She must have just gotten it. It's still only in one eye, but I'd rather catch it and treat it before it spreads. Don't need an eye patch, I think since it's so early on. She's over there," he pointed, and she followed his lead as he slowed down the closer they got to the small calf.

"I'm gonna sneak up on her," he calmly informed her, making his way behind the calf, loosening the rope. "Give me some space until I'm on top of her, ok?"

She could only nod and watch as he silently approached, taking measured steps towards the calf. It almost looked like he wasn't going to need the lasso. He was right up on her, nearly a yard away when she stood and tried to bolt.

She didn't have the chance.

Inuyasha was quick. He had the lasso unfurled and around her neck in seconds. His every move had been calculated. Precise. Watching him throw the calf down onto the ground and climbing on her shouldn't have been hot.

It shouldn't have affected her.

But there was something about seeing him take charge like that. Seeing the lethal power in his body on display as he gently forced the calf back down to the ground...Seeing the way the muscles in his arms danced under his skin with every movement…

It made her blush and bite the inside of her lip...because even if she didn't want it to be...she couldn't deny that in that moment…

It was all _very_ hot. And it _was_ affecting her.

A lot.

"Ok," he motioned with the jerk of his head. "We're ready for ya."

She couldn't even talk. All she could do was nod and bring over the syringe and powder and watch as he treated the cow. He tenderly administered the shot, rubbing the area after to help the antibiotic spread faster and the poor girl feel a little better.

"Powder?" he requested, and she handed it to him, watching as he held the calf's eye open and squirted it inside. "It's ok," he gently reassured her as he worked. "Almost all done," he promised giving her neck one last massage before hopping off.

"All good?" Kagome asked, the sky looking like it was on the verge of opening up.

"Yeah. Let's get the hell out of dodge."

He didn't have to ask her twice.

They were back on their horses and the fence gated up in minutes, just as the sound of thunder rolled in across the pasture.

"Shit," he mumbled.

"Yeah," she nodded, hoping Spirit and Bessie wouldn't get too spooked.

They rode in silence for a while, and Kagome wasn't sure if she liked it or not. On the one hand, her mind kept replaying everything that had happened that day...And also from the day before. She just couldn't shake what Kikyo had told her. No matter how much she wanted to.

And she really wanted to.

She needed a distraction.

"That was nice. What you told Souta."

She picked _that_ of all things?

He looked a little surprised too, but he shrugged it off.

"Just want the kid to be happy. He's a good one. He shouldn't be second guessing himself, and he will never know how she feels about him unless he makes a move. I should know."

"Speaking from personal experience, huh?"

"What do you call us," he replied wryly.

"Us from then, or us from now?"

His eyebrows rose in surprise, and she shook her head, dismissing her question with a "Nevermind."

He didn't say anything at first.

"Take your pick, Kags. Asking ya out was the best thing I ever did, and despite everything…'n' how it ended...I don't regret it. I...I regret what I did ta ya. I regret wronging ya and not seeing it but...I don't regret us and the time we shared together. Then, or now as friends."

She looked over at him, surprised by his response, and it made him continue.

"I just want the kid to be happy. If he can find even a tenth of what we had...well...It will be worth it."

She smiled wistfully, fighting off the barrage of childhood and teenage dreams that attacked her all at once.

"We were happy…"

Was that why he had ruined everything with Kikyo? Because he thought that they could have that again?

"Kagome...what has been going on with ya taday? This ain't...It ain't all about your dad, is it?"

"I'm fine, Inuyasha," she soothed, but he...well...

"I don't buy it. You've been all over the place. Pissy, sad, hell sometimes you've even smelled confused…"

That fucking nose of his!

"Nothing," she shrugged dismissively. "Just worried about this rain."

"Rain," he mused, glancing back up at the sky. "Yeah...Sure. The rain."

"I am," she insisted with the shake of her head. "It looks like it's going to pour any second. We should pick up the pace."

He tilted his head to the side and pulled back on Bessie's reins, slowing her until she stopped.

"Inuyasha?"

"I ain't buying it, and I'm not moving until ya tell me what's going on with ya."

"Inuyasha…"

She heard a crack of thunder in the distance, alerting them both that the storm was rolling in. It made their horses uneasy. Her too.

"Inuyasha, we really need to get a move on…"

"Sure. Soon as ya tell me what's going on," he nodded, running a hand down Bessie's neck.

He was serious, wasn't he?

Fucking hell...He was fucking _serious!_ Another crackle of thunder sounded in the distance, and she swore.

She didn't have time to play his game.

"Fine. Stay here then. I'm getting back to the barn."

She tapped her feet against Spirit's side urging him on. She expected that Inuyasha would follow suit, but apparently, she was wrong.

She wouldn't turn her head around.

She wasn't going to turn her head around.

Fuck.

She looked.

And he was still there. Dead set on getting caught in the middle of a thunderstorm. Fine. He didn't want to follow, that was his problem. Not hers.

...Who was she kidding?

She loved him too much to ignore him when he was being an idiot.

"Inuyasha!" she called over her shoulder. "Stop messing around! It's going to start pouring soon!"

"Then _talk_ to me, Kagome!" he yelled back, and she bit the inside of her cheek. She was so scared...She wanted to know the truth, but they had come so far. They were finally on good terms again, and she was going to ruin all of that because of a rumor?

This time lightning split the sky in two, and her heart leapt into her throat.

Better to ruin them, than to let him die from stupidity.

"Fine! But only if you come with me!"

He tapped Bessie's sides with his feet, urging her forward and Kagome did the same, until they were both trotting in the direction of home.

"Spill, Kags," he began as soon as they were riding side by side once more, and she bit the inside of her cheek before slumping forward, resigning herself to her fate.

"I heard a rumor...that you broke up with Kikyo."

She watched his face morph into surprise before he smoothed it over, and casually shrugged.

"Shouldn't believe everything ya hear. It might not be true."

It felt like the start of her trip home all over again.

"Inuyasha—"

"—Why is that bothering ya? If I did? Not your relationship."

"Because she said it was my fault!"

"She…" he trailed off, his eyes widening before he ran a hand over his face. "Kikyo, huh? 'Course she did. Why wouldn't she."

"Inuyasha—"

"—When?"

"When?"

"When did she talk to ya," he bit out, his hands tightening around the reigns.

"When we went into town."

He nodded, his golden eyes flickering as he rolled her words around in his head.

"You've just been keeping that buried inside since last night?"

"Haven't exactly had a chance to _talk_ to you about it...Or ask you if it's true. Is it?"

Lightning split the sky once more, and thunder crackled in the distance.

"Shit," he swore. "We really need ta get a move on…"

"Don't have to tell me twice," she replied, shooting him an "I told you so" look as they began running their horses back towards shelter.

"Come on," he called over to her. "I'll race ya!"

"Yeah?" she called out to him. "What happens if I win?"

"Let's talk prizes later," he smirked, urging Bessie on.

She wasn't _thrilled_ with that, but the sky chose that exact moment to open up, and, frankly, she didn't care about who won what at the moment. Droplets pricked her skin as they ran, causing her to squint as she was soaked through. It was hard to see the world around her, but she could see Inuyasha beside her.

As long as he was at her side…

"Almost there," he yelled out over the dull roar of the storm.

"Ok," she replied as best she could, and she saw him glance over his shoulder at her.

"Come on Kags...Keep up with me…"

"I am," she promised, the barn coming into view.

Fucking finally.

They rode their horses inside, hopping off once they were safely within. The rain left her feeling cold, and she was doing her best to keep her teeth from chattering as she began removing the tact.

"So who won?" she asked, grabbing a towel and wiping off the water droplets on the saddle.

"Let's call it a tie," he sighed, doing the same, an uncomfortable silence falling over them as she began to shiver. She was doing everything in her power to keep from revisiting their conversation about Kikyo, but it wasn't working.

"Inuyasha...You never told me…"

He paused, glancing at her under the brim of his soaked hat.

"Is it true?"

"It's...complicated…"

"It's a yes or no," she countered stubbornly, removing the soaked blanket from across her horse's back and laying it out on the edge of his stable to air dry.

"That simplifies it too much," he sighed in exasperation, shaking his head.

"No it doesn't!" she insisted, stilling his hands as more lightning flashed across the sky. "Inuyasha...Just...tell me why you ended things with Kikyo. Please?"

She hated pleading, and he hated seeing her do it.

"I...I ended it with her cause she wasn't...I didn't have with her what I had with you," he finally admitted. "Kags...what we had...I don't know if I'll ever find that again, but I know that I wasn't going to find that with her. We were so fucking happy until I fucked up," he mused - his smile mirthless.

She didn't know what to say...so she didn't. Not at first.

"I've never found that with anyone else either," she whispered. "You were _it_ , Inuyasha. For years. No one else has ever compared to you. No matter how hard I look. We just... _worked_ , until the end…"

"We did," he nodded, removing the soaked blanket from Bessie's back. "We were perfect…Do you know how often I thought of you over the years? How much I still think about ya? About what we could have...If things hadn't...Dammit Kags," he chuckled, closing his eyes and sighing. "I don't think I'll ever find what we had again. You were it for me too. You were everything."

"You still think about it?" she pressed, her heart thundering in her throat.

"Us? Together? What it could have been like? Yeah. I do. And it's beautiful," he smiled wistfully. "Waking up next to you in the mornings...Making love ta ya at night...Chasing you all over the house, laughing and smiling...Lazy Sundays where we just sleep in and cuddle and kiss each other before I pin ya down to the bed and blow stinky breath in your face. Then you start squirming and I start kissing your neck…You're laughing and holding me tight to ya…" he stopped himself, pulling away from the movie playing in his head.

A beautiful dream that would never be realized.

"I think about it a lot, Kags…"

"It's beautiful," she swallowed, trying to get rid of the lump in her throat.

"Yeah," he nodded, shifting the blanket in his hands. "It is."

"H-here," she offered, taking it from him as a shiver ran up her spine as her fingers brushed against his, and their eyes connected. She could see the internal struggle within him. His uncertainty and longing. She quickly turned away from him, unable to hold his gaze when it reflected her own soul so perfectly back at her.

She moved to take the blanket and sling it over the side of the stable, hoping to help it dry, and hoping to get herself in check.

"Did you ever think about it? Over the last seven years?"

Her heart broke at his strained tone. Like he was afraid of her answer, but needed to know all the same.

"Think about what…"

"Come on Kags," he sighed in frustration. "You really need me to spell it out?"

"I…"

"Us," he replied crispley. "What it could have been like if...Things had been different. If we hadn't been scared, stupid kids who were more understanding."

She swallowed back her anger at the implication that he could really believe that she could wrap them up so neatly and bury their past away in the back of her heart.

"Yes. I thought of us. Everytime Garth Brooks comes on the radio or I look at a can of Budweiser...I can't eat a pancake anymore without thinking of the times you would sleep over at our house. I can't look at a man with amber eyes without seeing yours for just a split second. Every new moon, I wonder how you're holding up. I never stopped paying attention to the cycle because it made me feel a little closer to you, and I can't…"

She paused, taking a deep shuddering breath before turning to face him, making sure she held his gaze as she poured her heart out and reopened old wounds.

"And I can't think of home without thinking of you. What happened between us haunted me and I wondered what it would be like if we had been different. I wish things _had_ been different. You were my world. The only man I ever truly had feelings for, and sometimes...Yeah. Sometimes I wonder where we would be now if...If things had been different, and we hadn't…"

She sighed, shaking her head.

"It doesn't matter now though."

"Don't it?"

His whispered words were so quiet, if she hadn't been looking at him, she might have thought that she hadn't heard it.

"If you could...Could have a second chance at it all...Would you take it?"

Her throat was closing up. It was hard to swallow. She wished she knew what he was thinking, but she could see how scared he was. He was terrified of her answer, because she knew that he was asking himself the same damn thing. Had probably been asking it for a while, and she knew he had his answer.

But hers…

Hers scared the shit out of him, because he knew what he wanted her to say, but the possibility that she wouldn't...What then? What would happen to them then? Once she said it, there was no way to unring that bell.

So she had to be sure.

But the thing was…

She didn't even have to think about it. She knew the second he asked what she wanted to say. So, she mustered up what confidence she had, and looked him right in his scared, desperate, pleading eyes so there would be no mistaking her when she replied.

"Wouldn't you?"

His whole body went slack for a moment, as if he had to process what she said, and it made her take him in. Really look at him.

She watched as a drop of water ran down his face, across his proud cheekbones, and through the thick of stubble peppering his cheeks. She watched it curve across his strong jaw, really taking in how much he had changed since they were kids. His chin was sharper. More defined, just like the rest of him. His body had changed so much. She could see it in the way the wet, nearly translucent fabric clung to his chest, allowing her to see every dip and curve and hard line of his torso.

Yet despite the ways he had changed...It was still him.

Her "Yash".

He had matured, but underneath it all, he was still that same boy she had fallen in love with all those years ago.

She could see that in his gestures.

In the nervous set of that same jaw. In the way his chest trembled as he tried to process those two simple words. Two words that seemed to wipe every thought from his head. Two words that slowly made his bright, scared amber eyes darken to molten honey and fill with want.

Two words that made him snap.

The last restraints of his control over himself shattered, and he was done fighting back his desire for her. He was done ignoring what he felt...because she had said she wanted him too, so what was the point anymore?

Why fight it?

He took a few heavy steps forward, pulling her small, soaked frame to his and he clearly wanted to say something, but he couldn't. Words were insufficient. They couldn't convey the feelings he _needed_ to express. They couldn't describe the thoughts running rampant in his head, and...he didn't need them. Not when she could see them in his eyes. See them painted plainly across his face.

He wanted her...And she wanted him.

And in this moment, that was all they needed.

[(Art by Clearwillow)](https://clearwillow.tumblr.com/)

She felt his hands tugging her saturated hair, pulling her head back as his lips crashed into hers with a nearly bruising force. It was everything she had wanted since she had figured out she still loved him, and it was _so_ satisfying. They could finally kiss and she didn't feel regret or worry or shame. She could just _feel_.

She could feel his fingers in her hair - his claws scraping against her scalp as he turned her head, sending shivers up her spine. She could feel his chest rumble when her arms wrapped around his neck, trying to pull him closer.

And he could feel her. The hitch of her breath. The scrape of her teeth against his bottom lip as she nipped it. Fuck, this was everything he had wanted for so long. Everything he hadn't realized he had been missing from his life for the last seven years.

Kissing her felt like a balm to his bruised and battered soul. It felt like a soothing salve that eased the ache that had been painfully squeezing the life out of his heart all this time, and now it was like...It was like the vice grip around it was easing. Slipping away to let it beat freely.

And she felt the same way.

Kissing him felt like healing and like they were being reborn anew...and weren't they?

Wasn't this...couldn't this be a second chance? Maybe not at forever...maybe they couldn't get ahead of themselves there...but it still felt like a second chance at everything.

And the thought drove her wild. If this was going to be a second chance, then she wanted to show him just what that meant to her, and he wanted to do the same. She could taste his desperation as he continued to kiss her. His need. The fire in him. It was intensifying with every pass of his lips against hers. Every brush. Every little movement. It was going to burn them alive, and she welcomed the flames with reckless abandon.

This kiss was different from every other they had shared since she had returned. Those were shy. Timid. They were farewells and apologies and whispers of a wish.

This was the opposite. This was demanding. Passionate. And she eagerly responded in kind...because this kiss.

This was a hello.

Her hands fisted the back of his soaked henley, trying to pull him closer. Her nails scraped against his skin through the wet fabric, silently urging him for more, and he felt it. With every pass of his lips against hers, he could feel her trying to bring him closer and reciprocate in kind. He could taste her desire for him, smell it perfuming the air, and it was driving him mad. Especially when he felt her hand begin to move. It released the fabric of his shirt and traveled across his shoulder blades, and up his neck. He could feel the points of her nails dragging across his flesh, making shivers run up his spine.

This was different.

Something new she must have picked up over the years, and honestly...He liked it. He liked the feeling of her nails against his skin, and he liked the feeling of her grasping his head. She had released his shirt altogether in favor of holding his head and tilting it to the side and guiding him.

He liked the feeling of her trying to take a bit of control. For now, at least. She prodded his lips with her tongue and he eagerly parted them, allowing her to slip it inside and run it along his fangs.

She moaned at the feeling of them. She had missed them, as strange as that might sound. Had missed the slight danger of running her tongue along it. Perhaps because it was like an act of trust. She was trusting him to not hurt her. He could easily pierce her right now. It wouldn't take much...And so she was putting her faith in him.

But she was doing that anyway, wasn't she? She was trusting him with her heart again right now...And he could easily pierce it too. All it would take was a word or two...but...she trusted him to not. Their past was long buried, and they were rising above it.

She continued to move her hands up the side of his face, carelessly tossing his soaked hat so she could feel his damp ears.

Another act of trust.

He had always hated people touching them, but there was something about Kagome doing it...And the second her fingers found the fleshy base of one, she felt him moan against her lips and push his head further into her hand. It made him hold her tighter as she slowly rubbed the furry appendage. She gently scraped her nails against it, and it made his breath hitch before he exhaled shakily and reclaimed her lips. Worked her fingers up to its velvet soft tip, and she felt her back slam against the wall of the barn.

She gasped for air, breaking her lips from his as she felt the wood slats dig into her skin, and his lips deviated from hers. He wanted to taste more of her. More than just her lips. He followed the path a rain droplet had taken, curving down her jaw and continuing south across her neck. His tongue darted out, running up the smooth, pale column of her flesh and she gasped, closing her eyes.

"Yash," she breathed, and his heart soared.

 _Yash_.

It had been so long - _too_ fucking long, in his opinion - since he had heard it like this last. It was music to his ears. It made him feel whole and it made him want to do more. Especially when she held him there, tilting her head to the side to give him better access and the ability to do what he would to her.

She wanted more too.

His fingers found the hem of her shirt and slipped past it, wanting to feel more of her, almost as if that would help him feel like this was real. The soaked fabric of her blue shirt clung to his fingers, but he didn't notice. Not when he could feel her trembling under his touch. He wasn't going to push too far. Not when everything was still fragile, but he needed to feel her. He moved his hand to her side, just wanting to feel more of her, and held her hip in place so he could push further into her. He wanted to feel every inch of her small form, and the breathy moans and gasps coming from her made him suckle her pulse point a little harder.

Just so he could hear more sounds of pleasure from her.

More sounds of need.

"Yash…" she mewled, a hand fisting in the back of his shirt once more, this time lifting it. She wanted to feel him too. She slid that same hand under it, tracing the line of his spine to his shoulder blades with her fingertips. She kneaded the muscles of his shoulders with her hands, and he let out a shuddering moan against her neck. The vibrations from it made her whole body tingle, and she didn't recognize the sound that it pulled from her in turn.

He drew away from her after a moment, drawing a fang across her neck, to take in the rosey tint spreading across her skin. It was perfect, and when she turned to look at him, capturing his eyes with hers, he silently swore. She was so fucking beautiful. Her eyes were dark and filled with desire and he just—

Kagome pulled her hands from under his shirt and reached out to pull his face back to hers, her nails digging into his skin with the intensity behind it. It was like she was determined to rediscover what kissing him was like right this second, and honestly, that wasn't too far from the truth.

She needed him so much...And this was...Indescribable. She had forgotten just what she had once had, and now that she was getting just a taste of it...She needed more. She couldn't be satiated with just a small, little sample. She wanted more. She wanted all of him.

She lifted her leg to wrap it around his waist as their lips and tongues continued to feverishly caress one another. The move pleased him, and he removed the hand under her shirt to place it under her thigh and keep it there. He moved the other to rest above her head, allowing him to press her further into the wall. He could feel every inch of her body. Feel the heat of her skin against his. Felt her fingers playing with the buttons of his shirt…

Perhaps he should have stopped her, but he frankly didn't give a shit. He liked feeling her fingers against the slickened skin of his chest. Loved feeling loved how eager she was to have more of him, which was good since he wanted more of her too.

So much more than what he could have now.

The thought didn't even surprise him anymore.

It was clear as day how much he wanted her, and frankly, if it weren't for the cold wet clothes, the thunderstorm, and the lack of a bed, he would have shown her. Her scent certainly made it seem like she was open to the idea.

Her scent…

It was making his head spin. Almost as much as her lips sucking at his pulse point before moving onto his collar bone.

[(Art by Clementinesgulag)](https://clementinesgulag.tumblr.com/)

Her fingers began to explore the skin of his chest, feeling the hardened muscles that weren't there when they had been younger. His body had become so firm. Defined. She wanted to peel him out of the soaked fabric and run her tongue along every inch of him. Instead she would make due with what she had, and he didn't seem to have any complaints with it.

"Kags," he moaned, his head rolling back onto his shoulders to let her do whatever the hell she wanted, because she could, and she was making his heart loudly pound in his chest. He couldn't even hear the rain anymore. All of his attention and focus was on the vixen curled around his body. Savoring the feel of her lips on his collar bone and teeth running across his skin.

"Yash," she throatily replied when he called for her, returning her lips to his and he sighed happily as he began to soften their kisses. Ease them away from soul crushing desperation that made his bold boil, and towards something sweeter.

She followed his lead, easing the pressure and slowing her movements. Their kisses became lingering. Teasing.

He would dip his head in to kiss her before pulling away at the last second, merely grazing her lips with his. He could feel her smile for a moment before she caught his lower lip between her teeth the next time he tried it. She gave it a light reprimanding nip, and he let out a breathy chuckle before lazily giving her what she wanted.

Him.

And she loved it. She loved how they could go from raw unbridled passion one second to something sweeter and more sensual the next. The tip of his nose brushed against her cheek as he dipped in for another kiss, and she readily continued to return it, moving her tongue against his when he silently asked for it.

She allowed him to duel her, and when he pulled away for more air, he ran the pad of his thumb across her swollen, well kissed lip, pulling down ever so slightly.

"Kagome," he murmured, his hot breath fanning across her skin.

"Inuyasha," she responded in a hushed whisper.

He turned his head to press one more final, lingering kiss to her lips before pulling away from her altogether, taking in her visague.

She looked this a ruffled, well kissed, pouty lipped mess.

He had never wanted her more in his life, and he couldn't help but cup her cheek, trying to maintain some form of contact with her at all costs.

"Hey," she murmured, and a light, breath chuckle escaped his lips.

Hey? _Hey?_

It was...it was funny. After all that, that's what she had to say to him. But...what the hell _did_ you say to your ex-fiance after something like that? Something so deep and intense and passionate that it took your fucking breath away and left your head spinning. So...Fuck it.

"Hey," he replied in kind, leaning his forehead against hers, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers.

He wanted to talk to her about what the hell this meant, exactly. He wanted to know if this was a one time thing...or if...If there could be more...But…

He was scared still, and no matter what happened after this moment, he wanted to have _this_ moment. This one last perfect moment where they could just…

Where she could be his, and he could be hers.

But fuck if he didn't hope it would be more than just this.

...And fuck if they didn't have a whole fucking weekend to talk about it.

This camping trip was either going to be the best thing to ever happen to him, or the worst.

But something told him that this was the start of something new. Something wonderful and amazing and…

And he really fucking hoped that he was right.

[(Art by Katiebug91)](https://katiebug91.tumblr.com/post/639494337352417280/the-moment-we-have-all-be-waiting-for-in-olr-this)

* * *

A/N:

YES.

THAT IS CORRECT.

MY FAVORITE STUBBORN ASSES ARE BACK TOGETHER.

PS I already finished the smut.

PPS it was 50 pages.

PPPS I had to break it up into two parts so people wouldn't kill me (BUT. The break was VERY natural.)

PPPPS I'm gonna try and get that first part up SOMEWHERE ELSE in 4 days (deets on my tumblr...BUT ALSO LIFE HAPPENS SO PLZ DUN SHOOT MEH. I AM AGONIZING OVER THIS TOO).

PPPPS I'm out of PSs. And I hope we all enjoyed this chapter. I AGONIZED OVER IT. A.G.O.N.I.Z.E.D. AND ASKED SO MANY PEOPLE TO READ IT. 

THANK YOU AS ALWAYS TO EVERYONE FOR THEIR SUPPORT! And especially to those who took a hot sec to review this last chapter. YOU FILL MY LITTLE ANGSTY HEART WITH SO MUCH JOY!

Special shout out to the artists Clearwillow, Clementinesgulag, and Katiebug91. Also special shout out to Clearwillow, Underwater0Phelia, and Keichanz for the feedback on the kiss. AND IF I FORGOT SOMEONE I'M REALLY SORRY!! It's been a few months since I worked on this... 

UNTIL NEXT TIME!

-LL


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from the Inuyasha universe or any of the popular name brand apps, products, services, etc. The rest is mine.

* * *

Chapter 26

"Kagome? Honey? The sleeping bag is dry! Where do you want me to put it?"

Kagome paused in packing her own bag to furrow her brow in confusion.

Sleeping bag? Singular?

"What do you mean by sleeping _bag_?" she called back down the stairs, moving to stand just in the entrance to her room, cocking her head to the side and tilting it out of the doorframe.

"You asked for a sleeping bag," her mother replied, and Kagome sighed.

No...She had asked for _two_ sleeping bags. Not one. Two. Plural. Multiple.

She quickly trotted down the stairs to see what her mother was talking about and hoped that maybe she was just getting her wires crossed. When she saw her mother standing at the foot of them holding one rather _large_ sleeping bag...Her heart started pounding a little in her throat.

"Mama? Why do you have the double sleeping bag out?"

Because she _definitely_ had not asked for _that…_

"I went to wash two singles from storage, and they must have gotten wet at some point. They were covered in mold - it wasn't even worth trying to save them. This one was still fine though," she explained casually. Perhaps _too_ casually...It almost felt like her mother was up to something, but she didn't have enough - or any - proof to call her on it.

"Oh good...What am I going to tell Inuyasha…"

"That you two are just going to share is all, unless you want him to find his own at the last minute," she shrugged dismissively, handing the bag to Kagome. She leaned it against the wall by the front door and tried to not panic. Her mother had no idea what had _literally_ just happened between them hours before...and she herself might be reading too much into this _because_ of what happened.

"Assuming you _want_ to tell him, that is."

Alright. Maybe her mom really _wasn't_ as innocent as she was making herself out to be.

_"Mama!"_

"It's not a crime to share a sleeping bag with him, Kagome! Besides - having two never stopped you two from doing it in the past anyway. You're both adults now. I can't tell you not to."

"Mama…" she groaned, rubbing her hands over her eyes in mortification.

They thought that they were being sneaky...Then again, Souta probably had a big mouth, and her parents knew they couldn't do anything with him in the tent anyway.

"I just want you to have fun, Dear. What you do...It's up to you. You two have been getting closer again since you've been home, and I know he's stopped by at night before," she confessed, shooting her daughter a knowing look. "Truth be told...I'm glad you two are working your differences out. I haven't seen ya this happy in...A long time."

Kagome chewed the inside of her lip.

Her mother was giving her an opportunity, and they both knew it. The ball was in her court now. She was just...scared about what to do with it, especially after that kiss from earlier.

That kiss…

Her lips were still singing, and she was sure she was going to burst into flames if she kept thinking about it.

"Thanks, Mama," she smiled weakly instead. It was nice having her mother's support of...whatever was going on between them. She knew they wouldn't be getting Izayoi's anytime soon...But...She still didn't know _what_ this was either. Maybe she needed something else to add a little padding to the situation?

A little something to make it seem like they _didn't_ have to share a sleeping bag? But they could if they wanted to?

"Do you know where that air mattress is? The one we got Gramps so he could still come camping with us and not hurt his back?"

"I think it's in the shed with all of our camping things...You need it Kagome?"

Need? Probably not.

Suddenly strongly desire for a plethora of reasons? Yes. Yes she did.

"It might be smart to take it with us...Since there's only one sleeping bag, we could unzip it like a comforter and have more room. And it's drier. It couldn't hurt after that downpour today, right?"

If her mother had any additional comments about that - and given the sleeping bag conversation, she probably did - she blessedly kept them to herself.

"I can come and help you look. It's been a while - it might take the two of us searching to find it."

"Thanks," Kagome beamed, following her mother out to the shed.

She couldn't help but replay their conversation over and over again, and internally debate if this was the right thing to do. Not tell Inuyasha, about the lone sleeping bag, that is. But...it...felt like the right thing to do? Even if it was a bit sneaky of her...But really, her mother was the mastermind of the whole thing! And she could honestly claim innocence in it all and _not_ lie about it.

Because it was all her mother.

She swore that her mom knew what had happened between them...But that was impossible, right? Because there was no way that her mother knew that she had just made out with Inuyasha a few hours before.

Is that what you'd call that? Making out? Yeah, she had done it before...but it just...It felt like so much _more_ than that. It felt like…

UGH.

She shouldn't be reading into it. They hadn't exactly talked about it. They'd just...broken apart and kind of...accepted that they had just done that, and before they _could_ talk about it, his hearing had caught a break in the rain, and so they had made a run for it. After that…

They had gone their separate ways. It had just been _so_ awkward…

She hoped it was just because they needed to process it…

...But she also hoped that they would talk about it on the trip. He hadn't said that he wanted to call it off...So as far as she knew, awkwardness aside, it was still on. So that meant that they were going to have to talk about it this weekend.

If she were being honest, she was terrified of where that conversation would lead.

She had said that if she could have a second chance at them, she would grab it. And she meant it. But there was something pretty big standing in their way still. Well...she supposed _lots_ of somethings, including but not limited to his mother...But she was specifically thinking of her career.

She didn't even know what this meant and she-

Her mother opening the storage shed drew her out of her spiraling thoughts, back into the here and now, and Kagome felt her heart leap into her throat. She hadn't been out here in... _years._ Not since her father had died.

She swallowed hard as the memory of the last time surfaced. She had been aimlessly walking around the ranch and she found herself in here, staring at his fishing poles. That weekend they were supposed to go on their annual father-daughter fishing trip and...She remembered just standing there. Seeing them but not.

She had all of this _anger_ that was slowly building inside her, gaining pressure within her chest, and then when Inuyasha showed up to check on her…

That's when she blew.

He had tried to comfort her. Do whatever he could to fix it and make it right...But...She hadn't wanted her boyfriend then. She had just wanted her father. When he offered to go on that fishing trip with her, she...well...She hadn't been kind, that was for sure. She had pushed him away again and again…

And the worst part of it all?

She hadn't even seen his _own_ pain.

He had loved her father too, but everything had become about _her_ and _her_ pain because _she_ was the only one who had lost someone, right? What he was feeling and experiencing hadn't mattered and…

...Oh god…

She had been a real bitch, hadn't she?

Inuyasha had loved her so deeply, had tried to do everything for her, and she…

She pushed him away, told him to go to hell, and disregarded him.

Her mother stepped inside the shed, making her way into the back where they kept the camping gear, and Kagome couldn't make her feet move. It was like they were led. Completely obstinate.

"Let's see," her mother mused, looking through the different boxes, and Kagome swallowed, watching her work from outside the shed. "I think I saw it back here somewhere…Oh! There's that table you wanted to take. Kagome, would you give me a hand with it?"

"Y-yeah."

She took a deep breath and somehow lifted her foot, taking a step forward. Then another. Then another...She tried to keep herself from turning to look at where the fishing poles were stored. Or where they used to be stored. She didn't want to see them...And yet, she turned all the same, drawn to them like a moth to a flame.

She was slammed with memories of her past, and the second her eyes connected with them. She felt her heart clench and twist in her chest, a thick lump forming and making it hard to swallow and breathe.

_"Hey! I have an idea! Why don't we go on that fishing trip anyway? In his memory! He'd want you to go have some fun!"_

_"Yeah, great idea Yash."_

_"Wait, Kags! I'm sorry...I didn't mean to upset ya...I just thought…"_

_"You thought wrong! I don't want to go on a fishing trip with you, Inuyasha. I don't want to go on a fishing trip with_ anyone _!"_

No. She wasn't going to relive that day again. Dwelling on it wasn't going to help. That didn't stop her from needing to touch the poles. She didn't know why but she just...She needed to feel the weight of them in her palms again. Her feet shuffled forward, and she reached out, running her fingers along the length of the handle.

_"He's a good guy, Inuyasha. I'm glad you have him in your life, Kagome. I always have been. I think he's good for you...And I think you're good for him too. You're a match. You make each other better, and I couldn't ask for more for you."_

She closed her eyes, trying to push the memory of the last time she had gone fishing with her father out of her mind.

Inuyasha had been good for her. _So_ fucking good.

She picked up two of the fishing rods, ignoring the look her mother gave her as she took them out of the shed and leaned them against the siding.

She wanted to right the past. She didn't know exactly what that would look like...but she wanted to start with this, at least.

* * *

Inuyasha stared at himself in the full-length mirror, in his bedroom. The black towel around his waist was slowly slipping off it, threatening to fall altogether and pool in a wrinkled puddle of damp fabric around his feet. He had just gotten out of the shower, and he should have been putting more effort into drying himself, but...It was like he was caught in a daze.

He was still trying to process what had just happened, and he raised his fingertips to his lips.

If he closed his eyes, he could still taste her on his tongue. Feel her lips pressed against his. Feel the heat of her hands on his chest and shoulders.

It...It felt like he was dreaming, in a way. It felt so hard to believe that he had just made out with Kagome like that, and yet...that's exactly what had just happened. But, what did it mean? He had asked her if she wanted a second chance, and she had said yes. He wanted one too…

But...What the hell was that going to _look_ like?

He let out a shaky breath and his hand dropped from his lips. He watched a water droplet trail down his neck, descending across his chest and the V of his lower abdomen before disappearing into the towel. He ran his hand across his body, examining himself. He stuck out his stomach and sucked it back in, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

The "Grandma Goodies" hadn't fattened him up _too_ much, but he definitely looked like he had gained a few. He should have let Sesshomaru eat all of it. Let that ass get fat instead.

Sesshomaru didn't have anyone he was trying to impress...But...At the same time, neither did he. He didn't think. Maybe?

He felt like tearing his hair out! He knew that Kagome was going to see him shirtless this weekend. They were going to go swimming. She had bought a damn swimsuit just so they could! But was that all she was going to see?

He swallowed at the thought and hooked his fingers into the hem of the towel, encouraging it to fall with a slight push. He was left standing naked in front of the mirror, looking at his entire body. He seriously didn't think he had ever felt more self-conscious than he did now. Would she like what she saw, if she saw it? And what about…

_Maintenance._

Things weren't exactly... _maintained_ at the moment. It was wild and bushy and needed a weed whacker. It felt too presumptuous to think that she would be seeing anything, and yet...What if she _did?_ He would be kicking himself in the ass if he didn't take a moment to clean up.

But then she would _see_ that he had trimmed, and then that would make her think that he had been expecting something all along when all they had done was kiss!

But what if she just thought that he liked to keep it trim for himself? And it wasn't like he hadn't just gotten out of a... _something_ with Kikyo too.

He sighed, frustrated with himself. He was making way too big a deal over all of this, wasn't he? He was acting like they were going to be making love every damn second they were out there.

Yeah. Making love.

He said it.

He could be a fucking romantic too.

And really, he knew he did need to think about these things now. They were leaving tomorrow. He had to pack _tonight_. She was in charge of the camping gear and her stuff. He was in charge of the food and his shit.

Pubic hair fell under the category of 'his shit'. And yeah. It was a stupid little dumb thing to be fretting over - especially since it weren't like she hadn't seen his dick sporting _every_ kind of haircut before - but it felt important to him even if it _was_ dumb.

On the off chance that something happened with Kagome...whatever that _something_ was...whatever _level_ of something that might be...he...Aw hell…

He just...He wanted her to like what she saw.

Was that really so bad? To want her to like what he looked like? He had changed so much over the last seven years. His body was totally different and yeah, he thought it looked better...Hell his nose had even _told_ him before that she liked it too...But...what if he had been wrong she didn't like all of _everything?_

It was stupid. It was irrational.

It was driving him crazy.

He should just trim up the shrubbery. Not go full-on hardwood floors (because that was fucking _itchy_ ), but a little trim just to make it cleaner...That was ok.

He felt a little better about his decision and stepped away from the mirror to slide on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. He'd trim after everyone went to sleep. He didn't want people awake to hear him with the trimmers.

Maybe he should clean up his face too while he was at it? He rubbed his fingers across his cheek, feeling the length of the stubble that had grown over the last few days, and decided that it couldn't hurt.

Besides.

He was going to have everything out and all. And that way if someone _did_ hear something, they would just assume it was that. Even if it was odd for him to shave at night…

No. He wasn't gonna stress about this. He was just gonna do it and call it a night.

 _And._ Speaking of trimming...What the fuck was he gonna do about his claws? If he got rid of them, that was going to be a dead giveaway that something was up. But...He wanted to get rid of them. If - on the _extreme_ off chance - something happened between them, he wanted to enjoy it to the... _fullest_.

As a teen, he hadn't really done that. He had been all mouth, which...he had absolutely enjoyed. Sucking her. Eating her out. All of it. He still preferred it too. But...As an adult, he had learned the joys of... _multitasking_. Bluntly, he liked eating a woman out while also playing with her breasts. Or playing with a woman's breasts while fingering her pussy.

He couldn't really touch her with claws. They'd tried in the past and discovered that it was a no go. It was too risky. Her body could start moving of its own accord while his fingers were still doing whatever it was he wanted to do, and then the next second "Oh hey! I hope you wanted a piercing there."

And he'd be lucky if it was _just_ a piercing.

So yeah. If he wanted to really enjoy... _whatever_ happened to the fullest, he was going to have to clip and file.

And _typically_ , his family was used to him only doing that when he was working on a new acrylic project. So he didn't nic anything.

He could just lie...but then his father and brother would know something was up. And he didn't want them to know something was up. He was lucky it had been pouring rain earlier, or else they would have smelled horny Kagome all over him...and while he didn't know what was going on with them yet, he did know one thing:

His family _couldn't_ know about it. Not right now at least.

So that meant that he needed to think of a better excuse than a new order.

Maybe he didn't want to accidentally slice open the tent when they were setting it up? That could be feasible, and that was something to ponder...Along with how to hide certain smells since he was out of fur-breeze. Maybe he could cover those up with some old spice body spray? On both of them? It would just need to be for a few days. That wasn't unheard of…

He opened his desk drawer and took out an old, faded pad of paper and a pen before sitting cross-legged on his bed. He tapped the pen against the paper, trying to gather his thoughts so he could make a damn list.

Alright.

So what had he decided so far?

Trim.

Nails.

Old spice.

What else did he need to think about?

C-condoms?

He blushed bright red at the thought and glanced over at his sock drawer. He knew he had some still...But...did he dare bring them? All they had done was kiss! But if he didn't and things got to that point, he didn't wanna say no neither! And he weren't exactly a fan of the pull out and pray method too.

Not that he would be opposed to a mishap there.

Fuck! No. What the hell was he thinking! Yes, he was opposed to a mishap! He couldn't afford a mishap with her! Things needed to be right, so…

Condoms.

Did he dare bring 'em, or was it better to leave them behind?

Shit.

He didn't care what women said. Being a guy was pretty damn hard too.

He opened the drawer and rifled through it until he found his Altoids tin in the back and opened it. The golden foil packets stared innocently back at him and Inuyasha picked the accordion strand up, counting them.

Yeah. He had enough, that was for sure. It had been a while since he'd had sex last, and he had been working off of a fresh box that last time. He placed the condoms back inside and chewed the inside of his cheek, snapping the lid shut.

Shit.

Why hadn't they talked about this before they had parted?

Because trying to define what they were right now was _terrifying_ , that's why. He knew it would be so much easier ta talk about this stuff tomorrow when he was human...but... _fuck!_

It made _this_ that much harder.

He palmed the tin, taking a deep breath before sighing. He was making this too big a deal. He should take them. It was better to be safe than sorry, and who is to say that he hadn't forgotten to unpack them from a different trip once? And if they got to that point...Hell - she might even be impressed that he was trying to be cautious!

He shakily slipped the condoms into the front pocket of his backpack and tried to push his nerves off to the side.

He had a list of things to get through before tomorrow.

* * *

"Hey Mrs. H!" Kagome heard Inuyasha greet, and she quickly logged off of her work computer, closing the top and standing from her desk.

"Inuyasha, hello Sweetheart," she heard her mother reply as she opened her door. "One of these days you're going to need to start calling me Sara."

She saw Inuyasha open his mouth to reply, but he stopped when he saw Kagome at the top of the stairs.

"Hey Kags," he smiled shyly, and she found herself greeting him in kind.

He had been nervous about seeing her today. There was so much left to say still, but now that he saw her there...slowly coming down the stairs with that beautiful shy grin on her face…

Well…

He was still nervous, but it felt like now that he was looking at her, everything would be ok. They'd figure it out. Together. Whatever they decided they would look like...They were in it together.

"You shaved," she mused, crossing her arms over her chest, and he ran his fingers against his cheeks. She was talking about his face, but if only she knew what all he _had_ shaved...

"Yeah...Figured it would be easier to do it at home and not worry about it this weekend."

"Makes sense," she replied, the action of him rubbing his cheek drawing her attention to his fingers.

H-he...His claws!

Why were those gone?!

He never clipped and filed his claws. Or at least, he hadn't since she had been back? She knew that he used to when he was playing his guitar so he wouldn't slice through the strings. There had to be a reason for it, and she was more than a little curious as to what it was.

She decided she wasn't going to comment on it now though. Not with her mother standing there watching them. She already had certain _suspicions_.

"Can you help me load everything into the truck?"

"Yeah! Course," he nodded jerkily, scratching the back of his head. "Where'd ya leave it all?"

She couldn't help but smile wryly at him and tilt her head to the side, towards the pile of stuff leaning against the wall next to the front door.

"Right," he blushed, scratching the back of his neck. The move raised his shirt a little, and she tried to not notice the sliver of tan skin it exposed.

It was really, _really_ hard though.

"Welp. May as well get started then? We should probably get that tent set up as soon as possible," he commented, trailing off when he saw the fishing poles leaning against the wall.

He hadn't seen those in...

... _Years_.

"You wanted to go fishing," he whispered softly, coming to stand in front of the pile of gear. Kagome watched as he lifted his hand, slowly drawing his declawed fingertips down the metal of one of the poles.

"If...you would like to?" she replied gently, and he swallowed hard. He still remembered the day he had asked her to go on the fishing trip with him since she no longer could with her father. It had been his first step towards their demise. The first time he had pushed her. He released a shaky breath, trying to push all of the heartache down and away as her harsh words echoed through his mind.

_"For fucksake Inuyasha! I don't want to go with my boyfriend! I wanted to go with my father! Just...Leave me the hell alone!"_

_"But...Kags, I think this will be really good for you! I think going is what you need! Just...Just let me talk to my folks about it and we can-"_

_"-Just fucking leave! I don't want you here! Can't you get that through your thick skull? You can't fix this! Stop acting like you can!"_

_"...Ok. I...I guess I'll just...Leave then…"_

_No._

That was the past. He was done living there. He didn't _want_ to live there. Not when she was standing before him, nervously chewing on her lip, trying to make things right. She wanted to make amends and fix what she could...And if yesterday was any indicator, she wanted to give him a part of herself again.

The poles were further proof that she wanted to continue to make amends and fix them.

She was offering him yet another olive branch, and he was gonna grab it firmly with both hands. He wanted to correct everything as much as she did, and this felt like a good sign. A _really_ good sign. One that only the two of them would understand and comprehend the significance of.

So did he wanna go fishing with her?

Abso-fucking-lutely.

"Yeah. I'd like that, Kags. I'd like it a lot."

"Me too," she replied, relieved by his response. "Why don't we grab those last and start with the heavier stuff though?"

"Already ahead of you," he replied, grabbing the tent and the table and Kagome's bag.

"Do you kids need anything, or do you have it?" Sara asked as Kagome grabbed the folding chairs.

"Nah - I got it. Thanks Mrs. H," Inuyasha smiled, and Sara just shook her head as she opened the door so he could head out to his father's truck.

"Men," Kagome sighed. "It's like they're incapable of making more than one trip."

"You'd better get used to it."

"Why?"

"Because," she shrugged dismissively. "All men are like that. The good ones, at least."

Kagome's mouth opened and closed a few times as she tried to figure out what to say...before deciding that perhaps it was better to just say nothing.

She just walked out to the truck, ignoring her mother's giggling, and watched as Inuyasha loaded everything into the flatbed.

"Here," she muttered, handing him a chair.

"Thanks - you ok?"

"Mothers," she grumbled, and he didn't ask more.

"Ah…Well...We'll be done soon and at the lake in no time?" he tried, his voice overly chipper, and suddenly she was reminded of the fact that it was going to be just the two of them. Alone. For the weekend. A fact that she had already known, but now that it was happening…

Her emotions were all over the place. Nervous twisting in the pit of her stomach, unbridled excitement, and nearly paralyzing fear were just a few. She couldn't believe that was real. It didn't seem like it could be...because for seven years, none of this would have been a possibility.

"Are...ya...You…" he tried, falling over his words. He could smell the nerves coming off of her, and that was adding to his own unease. He really wanted to do this with her, but if she was gonna be a wreck over it, he wouldn't force her neither. "Kags, if you don't wanna, we don't gotta go," he finally mumbled, unable to look her in the eye.

"Don't want to...Yash! Of course I do! I'm just...A bit...W-well...After y-yesterday…"

"M-me too," he blushed. "But I also...If...If we go," he tried again, steeling his nerves. "I think we should talk about it. We will have all weekend. Just us. No interruptions. No one else. No nothing. Just us. And I think that tonight will be good for us too," he confessed. "It's easier to talk about important shit like this when I'm human."

"I think you're right," she reassured him, reaching out to take his hand. "I think the timing of this was perfect, all things considered."

It really was, wasn't it?

"Yeah," he breathed. "You're sure though? I...I think going with me now," he swallowed, trying to get his thoughts in order. "Going with me tonight to do this, I think it means more than it did before. And I just...I wanna make sure you're good with that. That we...we ain't exactly going as friends no more. I dunno what this is neither, but...Going means you're ok not being just that. Unless...You...Yesterday you didn-"

"-I meant every word I said yesterday, Yash. I know what this means. I want this too. Whatever it is," she whispered, putting the last chair into the back of the truck. "I don't regret it."

She understood his trepidation. She did. Honestly, she couldn't blame him for it.

She had those same nerves, but she had never been more certain of a decision before in her life. He was right. The second they got everything loaded up and she sat down in that truck...They were crossing a bridge into uncharted territory. Or recharting old territory? Either way you looked at it, it was scary, but she wanted to do it. She wanted to chart those waters with him. Explore what they could be, and talk about what that was.

"Me neither," he breathed, relieved. He reached out and took her hand, running his thumb across her knuckles a few times before squeezing it and letting go.

She followed him back into the house, where her mother kindly pretended that she hadn't just witnessed the entire exchange out by the truck.

He was maybe almost as thankful as Kagome. He really didn't want their business advertised more than it needed to be. At the same time though...if there _were_ one person he'd want ta know, it would be her mom. She would protect them as best she could.

He turned to grab more of the things by the door - deciding to leave the fishing poles to Kagome since they were light - and noticed for the first time that there was only one sleeping bag.

Huh.

One sleeping bag.

Interesting…

 _Very_ interesting.

And a _very_ good sign, right? She coulda brought two singles but instead...The woman had grabbed one double.

He couldn't keep the smirk from spreading across his face even if he wanted to.

He grabbed it and the last few remaining items before heading back out to the truck, allowing her to bid her mother farewell.

"You two have _lots_ of fun, ok?" she encouraged, and his smirk widened into a full smile.

Fun. Yeah. He was definitely open to _lots_ of _fun_ alright…If that's where everything took them, that is.

She squeaked out an embarrassed "Mama!" before hurrying away and clamoring into the passenger side of the truck.

He was next to her in minutes, turning on the radio and slowly peeling down their gravel driveway to head back towards their land.

"So," he began casually as Tom Petty's "I _Won't Back Down"_ softly played in the background. "Only one sleeping bag, huh?"

Shit.

He had noticed.

 _Fuck_.

Well. _To be fair._ She knew he would eventually anyway, she just had thought that it wouldn't have been until later! She didn't think he would comment on it as soon as they started down the road!

"Yeah, sorry - Mama went to go look for the sleeping bags last night and wash them but the ones she found were moldy apparently. She said she couldn't save them, but the double was fine."

She watched his nostrils flare, and she knew he was trying to figure out if she was telling the truth or not.

HA!

She was repeating what her mother had said. So as far as they were _both_ concerned, it was very much so the truth. What she didn't realize is that his heart fell a little. He'd thought that it was a sign. Her way of saying "I'm open to _exploring_ a _lot_ on this trip." But, if this had all been her mother's doing…Fuck, he weren't trying to read inta it or nothing but it was _hard_. He hadn't realized he'd let his hope get up that much.

"Oh. I see," he mumbled, trying to keep how crestfallen he felt from her.

He knew he shouldn't have gotten excited 'bout it...That was probably why they had the air mattress too. To give them a little more space when they went to sleep but _fuck_ , if she had known last night why hadn't she…

...Wait.

Kagome had _known last night_ that there was only one sleeping bag. Meaning she _could_ have called him and told him to go look for his own, but had she?!

No.

She most certainly had _not._

 _Caught!_ He'd fucking caught her after all!

"So...If you knew last night that there was only one sleeping bag...Why didn't you call me 'bout it, Higurashi?"

"I...well...What good would that have done!" She sputtered, crossing her arms over her middle. She was getting defensive. Maybe he _should_ read inta it after all...

"I coulda found one of the ones we have," he smirked. "But...seems ta me...That maybe a certain someone wanted ta share anyways…"

"Well, as Mama pointed out, it wouldn't have been the first time."

"Oh she did, did she?"

"Mmm...I guess we weren't all that sneaky when we were kids."

"Hard to be sneaky when they force your brother in with us ta basically chaperone," he grumbled, and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad…"

"He farts in his sleep! It's worse than what comes out of the cows' asses! Ain't exactly something anyone wants ta be copping a feel next to…"

"I guess...We...Can just make up for that tonight?" she suggested casually and he nearly choked on the fucking spit in his mouth.

She knew what she had said. And she'd meant it too. They needed to talk, yeah...but...After yesterday...She wanted to make it clear that she was... _Open_ to things.

She'd already established, internally at least, that she was...A _hem_...Ready for some... _action_. She'd literally had a sex dream about the man a few days before. And while she wasn't ready to admit to _that_ , she felt like she could tell him that if he wanted to rev her engine, she wasn't going to say _no_.

"Well," he choked out, coughing a little, completely unprepared for her response. "I sure as hell won't say no ta that."

"I'd be disappointed if you did," she confessed, and he wanted to pinch himself. Disappointed if he did…

Meaning she _wanted_ him to touch her on this trip? Right? That was what that meant, right?! He wasn't making that shit up?!

He tried to calm his racing heart a little as _Sweet Home Alabama_ started playing on the radio, and Kagome leaned back in the seat, a soft smile on her face.

"Remember how I was obsessed with this movie for like...A whole year?"

"Remember? I think I have every damn line memorized at this point. We watched it anytime you could convince me to."

"Reese Witherspoon is great in it!"

"That ain't a reason to watch that movie a million times."

"You're right - Josh Lucas is why we watched it a million times."

He couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes even if he wanted to.

"Really? Josh Lucas?"

"Well...His character. Jake Perry. I'm a sucker for a hot country boy and a movie with a good plot."

"Oh yeah...Great plot. Marry your high school sweetheart, move away as soon as you can, and only come home so you can get a divorce and marry your new big city man. _Great_ movie."

"It's about more than just that...It's about her going after her dreams and falling in love again."

"And then giving them all up just to come back to the country and be with him. Because that actually happens in real life."

She looked over at him, and saw his knuckles had turned white from gripping the steering wheel so hard.

"Yash? Should...we...Talk about yesterday now?"

She watched as he opened his mouth to say something and then snapped it shut, closing his eyes for a second and sighing. He shook his head before briefly glancing at her.

"We need ta. Don't get me wrong...but...I think, all things considered, we outta wait. 'Till tonight still. It will be easier," he confessed softly, and she understood what he meant. When he was human, it was just easier for him to talk about some things, and this was going to be a conversation that they needed to be at their most open and vulnerable for.

They couldn't hold anything back. They needed to be honest and truthful and speak what was on their minds and what they wanted.

It was just easier for him when the demon in him was out of the picture for an evening.

"Ok," she whispered. "Tonight then. When you're ready."

She watched him give her a single nod that she returned before she reached forward and changed the radio station. They caught _Weak_ by AJR right at the beginning of the song, and she squealed in delight.

"Oh I love this one!" she clapped her hands giddily as the chorus began, and he winced as she started singing along. She weren't even trying ta sound good. She was just belting it.

_"BUT I'M WEAK, AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT? BOY, OH BOY I LOVE IT WHEN I FALL FOR THAT! I'M WEAK, AND WHAT'S WRONG WITH THAT?"_

Thank god they were gonna be at their spot in a second. He couldn't take much more of this. Especially when the howling started.

_"OOOOAAAAAAAH EEEYAAAAAEEEEEYAAAAAA!"_

"Oh fuck...Did you murder a cat?!"

"Hey!" she laughed, the smile on his face easing any sting she might have felt. "I sound like an angel, thank you!"

"A dying one," he smirked and she narrowed her eyes at him as their spot came into sight.

_"ONE SIP, BAD FOR ME! ONE HIT, BAD FOR ME! ONE KISS, BAD FOR ME! BUT I GIVE IN SO EASILY! AND NO THANK YOU IS HOW IT SHOULD'VE GONE! I SHOULD STAY STROOOOOONG!"_

"Oh my God! Make it stop! Please!"

"Make me!" she taunted as he cut the engine.

Make her huh?

He unbuckled himself as she opened her mouth to sing the next part and took her face in his hands, pulling her lips to his. He heard her breath hitch in her throat, the lyrics dying on her lips as his worked hers. It was soft. Sweet. Lingering. Just enough to make her forget all about the song in the background...and just about everything else at the same time.

She felt him pull her bottom lip between his, scraping his fangs across her delicate flesh before his tongue wormed its way into her mouth. She responded instantly, moving hers against his and she felt her arms wrap around his neck trying to pull him closer. He wasn't having it. He liked control too much, and after a moment of their tongue battling against each other, he pulled away from her, pleased to see the flush across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

"Oh look. The song is over," he pointed out a little too innocently.

Wait. What?

_Fuck!_

He had distracted her to the point where she literally didn't hear the song end.

She knew she had told him to make her but...That felt _far_ too sneaky. He _knew_ what he could do to her! That wasn't fair!

"Cheater."

"How is that cheating?"

"Because you...You…"

"Kissed ya?"

"Yes!"

"And that's cheating how? Ya told me ta make ya!"

"I…"

He gave her an expectant look before his lips widened into another smirk.

"Good ta know that kissing ya makes ya stop functioning. Come on Higurashi - we got a tent ta set up before nightfall. Unless ya need a minute?"

Her indignant sputtering was worth it.

* * *

A/N: If you think that we're close to the end of this story...

Let me reassure you.

Things are just heating up.

And the smut is coming.

If you can't wait for it though...I'm posting chapter 29 elsewhere on Sunday, so you can read the FULL 50 PAGES OF SMUT EARLY! Check out my tumblr for deets!

And as always...THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE REVIEWS! I love you all and read ALL of them! YOU'RE ALL AMAZING AND I LOVE YOU AND I SWEAR I WILL RESPOND TO ALL OF THEM!!!

UNTIL NEXT TIME!

-LL

**Author's Note:**

> View additional fan art for this story HERE: https://lemonlushff.tumblr.com/one-last-ride


End file.
